A Story For The Ages: Part Three: Rebuilding
by Armina Qi Saxton
Summary: After the Anniversary Ball will things remain the same? Or will past memories come out? *Takes place between Gaia Anniversary Ball '05 and April Fools '05* *Will be non-cannon at the end of this part!* *Upload of old story*
1. Prologue: Into the Sunset

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** Don't own anything related to or similar to Gaia Online, this is a story made for fun.

Prologue: _Into The Sunset_

It hadn't been long after the events of the Ball, no less then a couple of weeks at the least, but it seemed like many months had actually passed. Days had gone by without incident, nothing to indicate that anything was wrong anywhere in Gaia's Territories. There were those that were talking about the night had unfolded in front of them, recounting countless times what had happened to those that had missed the last few hours of the Ball. Soon, they had grown tired of it, telling those that didn't want to stop asking questions to check the news for anything that might repeat itself. They didn't care anymore about what had happened in the past, but what was going to eventually happen in the future.

Nothing else seemed to have happened since then, nothing that was note worthy for the news to report or anything that watchful Gaians could jot down. At least, where people weren't exactly looking directly at or hadn't seen so many times before. They overlooked the two that were sitting in the rubble that had once been the Gambino mansion, wishing that the rubble really wasn't there. They hadn't noticed that Johnny K. Gambino sat in the middle of the mess, looking out into the ocean that surrounded all sides of the island. He was oblivious to the world that passed him by, while it ignored him just as much as he ignored it. There was nothing to do but watch it leave him in the dust and not even look back at him when he was down. Not even some of his followers seemed to care, although many had stopped to comfort him as best as they could without feeling as though they could do more then just watch him sit there, lonely and dazed.

He wasn't really alone in the physical sense, not when he had Gino by his side even if he stood just a few feet away, picking through the rubble that once had been his home. Johnny had scolded him several times in the months after Christmas not to dig through the remains of something that his father had worked so hard to build, but after the Ball he stopped caring. But he couldn't tell the public that his loneliness wasn't cured by his son's presence, not when he wasn't completely there. The memories of the past hadn't resurfaced since the Ball and that gave him all the more reason to find a way to get his riches back, even if it took the rest of his life to do so.

Gino, after being kicked out of the Von Helson mansion in Durem along with his father, had an ever increasing interest in the remains below him, whereas he hadn't before. He had picked up almost every piece of wood, brick, nail, and rock that had made up the former Gambino Mansion, looking at it with interest as his father watched him carefully. Johnny wanted to smile at his son's sudden curiosity, hoping that this was the beginning of the return of memories, but couldn't find the strength to even muster a small smile. The innocence that was displayed in front of him was something he could cherish for the time being, until the memories of the past came back, father and son truly reuniting once again.

Johnny sighed, placing his hands upon his chin as he turned towards the island itself. The coldness of winter was slowly fading away and the warmness of spring was beginning to come up. The Easter holidays were just around the corner, excited Gaians chattering as they went by him, about what prizes they would be awarded with and who was going to be the Easter Bunny this year. He knew the only two people in Gaia would be throwing the party this year and they would do it regardless of what was happening in the rest of Gaia's Territories. They would throw around the money that they had inherited from their father so unwisely that it made Johnny feel even more depressed then he already was.

What else had depressed him so, was the fact that he had not found any other means of getting his fortunes back since the Ball. Anything that he had left over from what little riches he had left from Halloween, and from the things he had sold that others had given to him during Christmas, was all gone now. It hadn't been much at any rate, not when there were times that he had to force himself to steal food just to survive. Most of it had gone towards Gino, who looked more ragged then his father did. That was not what was on his mind, but rather the fact that nothing was coming in that caused him to look away from those that had more then he did.

His exile from Durem had hit him hard, as it not only left him without a way to regain his son's memory back, it also gave him one less way to keep Gino warm from the elements. They had been in the city countless times since Christmas without any memories, that was true enough as it was, but it was something at least. He was seven separated from two of the only people who could have helped him the most, the only two that wanted to help, and now it was hopeless to even think of what their thoughts would eventually turn to. The sisters would most likely turn any doubts Edmund had towards their favor, Vanessa most likely following suit shortly thereafter. It was a lost cause, one that he had stopped trying to fight.

These moments sitting on the beach without a home around him, reminded him of the days that he had spent in his early years, working hard to build up his own empire of fame and fortune He had arrived on the island so long ago, nothing to his name and not a single gold piece to spend on it. Battles had to be won in order to survive, to be on the top rung of a very tall ladder, and to be considered a person that couldn't be taken down. Oh, how the world had twisted itself around him so, from him being the richest man in Gaia to the poorest person alive, without anything but a son for a vegetable.

Johnny lifted his head some, his eyes lighting up with an idea that he hadn't realized was right in front of him. Even though he had no gold to his name now, not even enough to buy bread, the rest of the population did and plenty of it. If he recalled from the earlier part of the Ball, there had been so many Gaians that were willing to sacrifice hundreds of gold to him, even their own clothing, just for the sake of Gino if not for the name of Gambino. So many Gaians did it on a daily basis, asking the richer of the population to donate gold and items to a cause that they long since should have abandoned. If they could do it, why couldn't he?

If there were those that were willing to give up a small portion of their gold for him, for any reason at all, then bringing Gino back to him fully would begin.

****

Gino had stopped shifting through the rubble of the mansion only moments before, what was left other then a few planks of wood and bricks that hadn't been torn off by looters, and had moved over towards the beach, hardly noticing that there was a change in his supposed father. He sat down upon the soft sand, bringing his knees up to his chest as he wrapped his arms around them. The salty air went up against his face, blowing his hair behind him as he stared out into the wide ocean beyond the shore. It was still cold out, but not as cold as it had been before, not with the warm air from the south beginning to come towards the island. That gave him less shivering and a more of a wondering curiosity that he wanted to tame.

This gave him a calmness he couldn't get anywhere else but in the man's arms after nightmares that would wake the boy from a sleep, a calmness that he couldn't describe to himself. He knew this place held something inside of it that gave him a sense of completeness, but he couldn't make out the fuzzy images that were trying to force their way into the front of his mind. If he could ever make out the images that were trying to make themselves clear to him, then he could remember the man that had tried to do so much for him in so little of a time frame. The man that he couldn't remember despite everything he had done.

Gino rested his chin upon his knees, thinking back to the last few weeks since the Ball. The mansion he had been in had been so warm, so inviting that he had hoped that he would have been able to see what the rest of the home looked like instead of the little that he had seen. If the rest of the mansion was anything compared to what the ballroom looked like, then he wouldn't have been disappointed to say the least. He hadn't been able to get a chance to see what it looked like, not with the man by his side at every waking moment and the fact that he had gotten them both kicked out of it before he had a chance to explore.

He had been angry with this man, angry that he couldn't walk off and talk with those that had gathered around them, but he could barely even breath without his assumed father watching him. Gino had a feeling that something had happened to the man before he had met him during Christmas many months before and that was why he didn't want to let the boy out of his sight. It scared him at times to think that the stranger that sat not far from him could be nothing less then a murderer or something even worse then that, just waiting for the right moment to do it. But it didn't seem like the rest of Gaia was even the least bit scared of him, so why should he have to?

Gino wanted to find out what was so familiar with this man, something that made him stay awake at night, thinking about it. Every moment of every day, he had heard people comment on the way that he looked so much like the man that sat in the rubble or how much he had changed since Halloween. What had happened during Halloween, was his guess; not even the stranger seemed to want to talk about it, dismissing it as something that was beyond even his memories. But when Gino looked into the man's eyes after that, he saw a silent pain in the deep purple orbs that made him wonder if he knew something else. Something that he just wasn't willing to talk about just yet.

Still, there was something familiar about the man who claimed to be his father and everything else that was around him. What it was, he didn't know, but he was going to find out, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

****

Meredith had looked out of the Bank countless times that day, just to see if Johnny and Gino were still in the rubble, looking more lost then anything else. Every time she had that day, they were still there, with Johnny looking more battered then he had after Halloween and Gino wandering aimlessly through the rubble before sitting by the ocean. had this scene been closer to last Halloween, and the boy had not been there, she would not have felt compelled to do something about it. Even her anger for Johnny had dimmed to a dislike, something that she thought would never happen.

It was true that she didn't like Johnny as a whole, that much she would admit to anyone that was willing to listen to her rambling and ranting. It was no secret that there were those in the Gaian population that wished he had died on Halloween rather then staying alive, but that was one thing she couldn't even bring herself to even think, much less say to anyone else. She wasn't that cruel of a person to wish death upon a person, although several thoughts had come close enough to it.

Meredith sighed, turning her attention back to the tower of paper on the counter that now sat in front of her. This kept her busy between people buying passes and wishing to see into their vaults and the daydreams she had. It was a busy day for her, even without the daydreaming she had spent a good portion of her morning doing. That was an old habit that she had to get out of and something others did not need to know about.

"Looking off into space again, I see," A voice said from behind her. Meredith jumped and spun around, expecting to see someone standing there, waiting for help. She only found Agatha standing there in front of her with a half smile on her lips and a small, black box in one of her hands. "Not hard to do when it is starting to become warmer out. I much rather be on the island's beach then my shop." She watched Meredith from overtop her glasses, taking note of the shocked expression that was slowly fading away from her face. "What's wrong? Surprised to see me?"

"No, you just scared me that's all. I didn't hear you come in." It was true, she hadn't heard anyone come in. Her hearing was good enough as it were, but with her looking into the clouds it was something that she tried not to look ashamed about. Her eyes then dropped down to the box that Agatha held, not surprised to see at all for the woman's visit. She often came into the Bank to put things into her safe, for things that customers in her shop wouldn't be able to pick up for a few extra days. "What's in there? Something for one of your customers that needs to be held?"

"For Logan, actually." A twinge of pink came upon Agatha's cheeks, something that the other barely caught herself. She smiled a wicked smile, her eyes lighting up in understanding.

"It's for his birthday, isn't it? I still can't even get him to admit his age, much less anything else," She said, eyeing Agatha with a wider smile. "Even Ruby has a hard time."

"Don't look at me like that. I'm not saying a word. You'd have to be twice as good as Ruby to get anything out of me that has anything to do with that man," Agatha said with a short laugh as she walked to the counter and placed the box upon it. She turned to face Meredith fully, her smile faltering slightly. "It's getting harder to keep things hidden from him, especially during the holidays. No, he doesn't go looking through anything of mine to find things, but somehow he knows things better then anyone else. Yes, even Ruby. This is the only safe spot in Gaia that Logan won't even bother to ask me about."

"I'll keep it in your safe until you need it," Meredith said, attempting to keep one eye on the box and the other on Agatha. She was becoming more interested in knowing what was in the box, no matter how small it was. "It sounds like you are interested in him very much so, just from the way Vanessa talks."

"Odd, isn't it? Me and Logan," She added when she took note of Meredith's stare. "I don't know what it is that I like about him, I honestly don't. Maybe it is just because he is the only one I can hold a conversation with and he'll understand more then anyone else."

Meredith smiled at the faraway look on Agatha's face, a look that she knew all too well herself. It had been a while since she had that same look on her own, a little too long perhaps, but it was worth waiting for. It was just something to hear for herself, a connection between two people that were so different but could find something in common without even trying. That made her feel slightly better, a little less worried about the two that sat outside in the still cold weather.

"I better get back to the store before I have someone knock down the door again. You'd think that the population could wait ten minutes for something so small and cheap," Agatha said with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. Meredith nodded as she turned around and went for the door, smiling towards a pair of Gaians that had just walked through the Bank's doors. Meredith sighed, blinking back the daydreams that she couldn't dwell on, not when there was so much that she had to do already.

So much to do, so little time to do it in.

****

If others could get easy gold by asking for it and by begging, then he could just as easily do the same thing to the same population. He was readily aware that he would have his back turned on his son for the most part, but there was a very small chance that anything would happen to Gino as long as no one was always aware that he was half hidden by what was left of the mansion. Even he could barely make out the small figure of the boy as he sat by the ocean , staring out into the wilderness that laid just beyond his reach. Of course, that didn't mean others couldn't see him just as well, but he felt like there was no chance in all the hells that someone would take the time to kidnap him. After all, they weren't like the sisters and weren't stupid enough to try to take Johnny Gambino's son away from him.

Johnny had positioned himself in front of the former entrance to his mansion, eyes looking over the Gaians that were wandering the streets of the island. There weren't as many out as he had hoped there had been before, but it was enough at the moment to start something small at least. Word would eventually spread around that he needed gold, lots of it if possible, not for himself but for his son. That story would be the focus of getting his donations even if there those that had heard it before, until he was able to rebuild the mansion at least. The sisters would hear of it eventually, but that was the least of his worries at the moment.

He barely had sat down upon the cracked pavement when three girls approached him with slight caution. They were barely above the age of seventeen, their eyes looking down at him, faces surprised at the fact that he had moved from the center of the mansion to the former doorstep, and mouths opening with questions on more then just on why he had moved from one spot to another. Johnny stared at them with a nearly blank expression on his face, unable to keep up with the amount of questions they were asking him. He hardly could get a word in before he raised a hand to silence them, something that worked just as effectively as raising his voice when he needed to be heard.

"If you have a few minutes, I'd like to see if maybe you could help me out," He said softly, his eyes looking longingly up at the three. They looked at each other as if they were unsure as to what this man was going to ask of them, but only nodded at him when their eyes turned back to his face. Johnny smiled gently, one hurdle overcome but several others to knockdown; it was a start, at least, to have someone to listen for a moment or two. That was all he needed.

And then he plunged into his sad story.

**Until Next Time**


	2. Chapter 1: Not Here Johnny, Not Here

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Chapter One: _Not Here, Johnny. Not Here_

There had been a point in his life that he hadn't expected anyone to forgive him for the things that he had done during Halloween, believing that the entire population wanted him dead. He hadn't even expected Edmund, his own friend that he had known since they were children, to help in the ways that he had before the events of the Ball. The surprise of finding those that wanted to help him, wanted to see him rise back into power to take down the Von Helsons, had overwhelmed him at first, but it soon died off as more and more came to his aid.

Johnny had found himself, not many hours after he had started to ask for help from the public, with more gold then he had imaged. There were those that were more then willing to donate gold to him, whether they wanted to get rid of the gold or just felt plain sorry for him. Some, like himself, wanted the sisters to hear of this, wanted them to feel like they were being cheated out of support and to know that there would be an uprising of some sort. Others just wanted to get rid of the gold rather then spend it on something they would never use again but once. Whatever it was, the gold had started to pour in at a fast rate.

"True friends, you are. I won't forget this," A happy Johnny had said to those that had donated, regardless of the amount. Even those that gave him a few spare gold coins got a rare smile out of him that didn't seemed forced or weak. That was enough for him at least, to know that those that couldn't give him more then that spent a moment or two to give him something that could help his son.

Those that did not donate to him, most of them supporters of the sisters, stared at him as though he was asking them to donate their very souls to him. There were mutters of how this was his fault that he was on the streets with a boy that had no memories and looked like a vegetable. These had walked away laughing, wishing pain and suffering upon him and Gino. Others simply did not have the gold to donate to him, their gold going to something they could spend on another item. They muttered excuses rather then insults towards him or his son, walking away before he could start babbling about something else they did not want to hear.

"Okay, then. Thanks anyway. If you happen to change your mind, you know where to find me," Johnny had told the retreating backs of those that had not given him anything, more angry at the fact that the malice laughter of others had reached his ears then the fact that no one had bothered to donate to him. He knew that there were those that didn't want anything to do with him, or even think about him, and that was expected of them.

Yet, there were those that crossed a line that they knew they had crossed when they saw the insane look that crossed his face, as soon as the insults started to drift towards Gino. That was one thing that they dared not do and they knew it, backing away slowly before turning and going as far away from the island as possible. They didn't want to be another statistic upon his hands, not when there had been so many already.

"Nice day, isn't it?" A voice asked overtop the last group of donators as they slowly drifted away from him. Johnny didn't need to look up from the gold he placed in a small pile next to him, to know it was Edmund that had walked up to him where the Gaians had once been. He figured the other had been standing there a good while, looking at what was going on before walking up to him.

"It's better then yesterday, I can tell you that much," Johnny said, looking up with a half smile. That was the truth, as far as he could tell. This day was better then the last few months combined, now that he had a way of an income without hardly making a sweat.

"I've heard a few things in passing when I came up here, more then I needed to know or ever would have guessed." Edmund seemed to be slightly amused by something, what Johnny didn't really want to know. That irritated him, knowing something was wrong somewhere else and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "All they true?"

"Is what true?" He asked before he could stop himself, staring up at Edmund unblinkingly. If he was going to hear things now, at least it would be from someone he knew rather then from the rumors from others.

"That you are trying to reclaim your fortune by donations from the public by means that just seem to be beyond me. I've seen and heard things you've done before, but not like this." He shook his head, turning towards the rubble, Johnny not asking for him to go into detail. He already had a rough idea of what rumors were floating around already. Edmund hardly even looked in Gino's direction, but he knew he was sitting there, watching the tide come in. "So, what's going to be rebuilt first?"

"Gino's memories," Came the mumbled reply. That was why Johnny asked passing people for help now, because he couldn't stand the though of Gino being like this. He would admit the lust of gold was still there, now that it was pouring into his hands once again, but Gino was the only thing he wanted to see get better.

Edmund turned from the rubble and stared at his friend, watching him for a moment. There was something about Johnny that was different, something he first caught several months earlier. He didn't catch right on it, mainly because he was concerned but now it was like a slap in the face. Can this be the same man I knew before Halloween/ Could this experience really have changed him that much and in such a short time? He silently asked himself, quite surprised at the answer he had been given. It would have surprised him more, if he hadn't seen the things that had happened since Christmas or had known this man since they were kids.

"How are you going to do that exactly? It would take all you have left to get his memory back, with the way the hospitals can fix memories now," Edmund told him, gesturing in the general direction of Durem where one of the large hospitals was located. "Even the best hospitals in Gaia couldn't compare to what G-Corp did in the medical field. I know, Johnny. I helped build G-Corp, remember?"

"I remember. We were partners in it, before it was destroyed," Johnny said with a nod. That's when the idea hit him, like the donation idea had. Why shouldn't he rebuild G-Corp? The best medical care in all of Gaia wouldn't get his son's memories back, so why couldn't he get the company working again? If he kept asking for donations, then he would be able to rebuild it again. And he could do more with it, with more gold then he had before, if it was possible. "Wait, that's it. I'll rebuild G-Corp! That way, Gino will get his memory back, the company will be restarted, and I'll have my fortune again. All this at the same time!"

A wild look came into Johnny's eyes, something that Edmund hadn't seen in years, something that he didn't like. He took several steps back, uncertain as to what his friend was thinking but knew that it was something in which wouldn't be good. If anything, it was an indication that something would eventually happen, whether it was in a couple of days or in a couple of weeks. That made the lapse into momentary insanity all the more realistic and any thoughts that his friend had changed went with the passing wind.

"And where are you going to put it this time, Johnny? It can't be in Durem, not as long as the sisters are still in Gaia, or alive for that matter. Barton is out of the question, as Leon wouldn't allow it even if it were for Gino." Edmund took a breath before continuing on. "Logan wouldn't want anything cluttering up the lake, and I don't blame him one bit. Aekea is out of the question, even though it is an ideal place for it."

"Then I'll rebuild it here, where I had it before." Johnny spread his arms out, indicating the rubble behind him. "I'll be close to it and there wouldn't be any time wasted on traveling."

The other man sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Didn't you learn your lesson from Halloween? Your mansion sat upon G-Corp's labs and something went wrong. You can't afford another disaster like that, Johnny. You'll get yourself killed for sure this time around. If that doesn't do it, then the population will do it."

"Then I'll have something better to protect from anything like that again. Like a tower," He said, a defiant look on his face. Then his eyes lit up once again, a smile creeping onto his lips. "That's perfect!" He jumped up, looking as though he had just won all the gold in Gaia. He turned towards the rubble, his arms opening wide. "G-Corp will be in the tower and my mansion will be on top of it! It's wonderful!"

"That's another disaster waiting to happen," Edmund pointed out, but soon found that his words most likely hadn't been heard by his friend. He stood there for a moment, listening to Johnny laugh at the thought of restarting everything he had before, shaking his head as he turned around for the port-side. If there was going to be another disaster like Halloween, then he didn't want to have any part of it. Not even at the expense of helping his friend through the beginnings of insanity.

Edmund started for the port, not even looking behind his shoulder. Johnny didn't even seem to notice that his friend had left, smiling at the rubble in what would appear a maniacal smile. If anyone knew that mad glint in his eyes meant at the moment, or had seen it before, then they would have stopped him right where he was and put an end to any plans he had. Instead they left him be, content on muttering a few passing sympathies and dropping coins on the ground next to him. They didn't want to bother him in this thinking, not when they believed that his eyes were watching his son play at the ocean front. Those wild, deep purple eyes were looking at something entirely different, something that no one else could see.

Something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

****

The next several days saw a slight increase of donations for him, but they soon remained at a constant rate for the most part. Johnny saw the amount slowly increasing, not only in his pockets but his once nearly broke bank account, a smile coming upon his lips at what this meant: his riches were restored, maybe even more so then before. All of it could be used towards something, anything he wanted, even perhaps buy his son new memories, if that were ever possible.

However, the first thing he would do was to build his mansion over again, just like it was before. Unknowingly to the public at the time, he had ordered two mansions to be built: one concealed on the inside of a very large tower and one on the very top of it, once it was completed. He had uses for both of them, he was sure of it. What worked in his mind seemed almost like an insane plot to others, even to his own son, who seemed to be distancing himself even further away now that he saw what was being built into the sky.

How exactly he expected a tower to be built in a few days was anyone's guess, even when teams of workers had come from Aekea to the island before the dawn broke on the first day. Local residents were rudely awaken at some unknown and hellish hour by pounding, sawing, and shouts of mixed profanity on the first day of building. It wasn't until morning rolled on did they see what was going on and why there was so much noise. Some just rolled their eyes at the construction that was being done where the former Gambino mansion once stood, wondering why the owner was trying to re-build it again when he should have been using that gold for something else. Others shook their heads and went on with their lives, determined not to wonder what was going on happen next or if it would disrupt their lives like Halloween had.

Others seemed amazed at how fast the tower was being built, quite content at staring at the fast the workers were going but never really questioned as to why the tower was being built. Johnny took note of this, smiling even brooder then before at the fact that he had diverted some attention from Durem for the time being. It was a small satisfaction that boosted everything, even his confidence. If the sisters knew what he was doing, there was nothing they could do to stop him. Not now, with them being in Durem and him being on the island.

Those that wondered why the tower was being built, failed to remember that the floors inside of it would contain nothing less then G-Corp and Gambino Insurance, Inc. Johnny knew that there was no point in hiding either one any longer, since the public had become aware of both last October. Perhaps now that he was able to build such a creation, and with the public knowledge, G-Corp could help the rest of Gaia with things that couldn't be done anywhere else. Right after Gino got his memory back first; that was the priority that he held first, even if he strayed from it slightly.

The other reason he had a tower built, was so that he could attempt to watch what the sisters were doing while still maintaining his distance. Edmunds eyes and ears could only see so much and he most likely wouldn't be one to tell things, even to an old friend. After the tower was completed, and G-Corp reinstated, he would have things built around the top so that he wouldn't have to wonder what was going on in Durem. He would know, without setting foot inside the city or having too many people risk their own lives to be on the wrong side of the sisters.

And the tower continued to rise.

****

On the other side of Gaia's Territories, a single figure stood outside on a balcony that overlooked Durem. She had her arms wrapped around her bare arms loosely, her eyes looking towards Isle de Gambino sadly, a sigh escaping her lips. Although she couldn't see the tower fully at the moment, it soon would be seen clear across the land and perhaps into other places as well. That sickened her, to know that the ocean just beyond it would be blocked from any remaining view she had. She also got a laugh out of the speculation on how big it would be, mostly on thoughts on what the man that was having it built, was compensating for.

She had been angry at first, when the whispers had started to come from the island, about the donations being sent to the man she was supposed to be hating. She honestly didn't hate him, just had a dislike for him, which had stemmed from other things then family issues. Maybe it was because she truly didn't see what her sister saw or perhaps it was something different altogether. Whatever it was, she couldn't hate him despite what he had become.

And she couldn't blame him for wanting outside help from the same people he had hurt many months before. It even surprised her at how many were willing to give up their gold and items for him, despite what he had done and would eventually do. Maybe that was why he had been at the top of everything before it came crashing down around him, because no matter what he did to the population, there would always be those that still supported him. He had picked up the pieces and was slowly placing them back together, hoping to regain what he had lost and still manage to come out on top. It was unfortunate that others couldn't do the same.

"Marie!" A voice shouted from the doorway of the balcony. She jumped, jolted out of her daydreams as she turned around to see her sister standing there, giving her an icy start that would even freeze Death itself. "I've been calling you fro the last ten minutes. What the hell is wrong with you?"

There were so many retorts that she could possibly say, but none would get the point across to her. Sure, her sister was the cunning one, smart enough to know how to work through plans and make them work as best as she could. But there was a downfall to her, a more clumsy side that she tried to hide so much. That was what she saw every time they were in public together, the ditzy sister who, if she could, would leak any information out that would harm their secrets. But even she had her limits.

"Nothing at all, Anna," Marie said hotly, fingers tapping on her arms. "Are the flyers ready to be sent out, eggs placed in the mansion by that damnable robot, and signs finished?"

"Yes to all three." Anna's voice still had that icy tone to it, but her deep frown slowly turned into a wicked grin. "It's so easy to sway the herds. So very easy."

"Yes, indeed," Marie echoed, although there was something in her voice that her sister didn't seem to catch. Perhaps it was something to do with falling off the battle and not wanting to get back up and fight. She certainly didn't want to drag the known feud out any longer then it already had, but never had the chance to end it on her own terms.

Maybe soon it would be.

**Until Next Time**


	3. Chapter 2: Unfolding

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Chapter Two: _Unfolding_

It was done finally, only after a few days of unstop work day and night, much to the relief of those that had to listen to the constant banging and sawing of the building crew. It hadn't taken the builders long to complete the overdone tower, not with the one who was paying them at the foot of the monstrous thing watching them. In fact, he hardly even noticed them building it during the entire time, but rather focusing most of his attention on getting more donations and keeping an eye on his son. The builders didn't seem to care, so long as they got short breaks in-between and were able to finish it before they left the island, after what seemed like an eternity and possibly even longer. As the tower rose, so did his bank account.

Johnny stood at the entrance to the tower, smiling up at it with both of hands on Gino's shoulders and just basking in the glory that would be later dubbed The Gambino Tower. The boy hardly looked interested in the process of the last few days, from the donations to the last piece of the tower coming together. He only stayed around because he knew that there would be a roof over his head tonight and a bed to sleep in finally. That was more then enough for him at the moment, although being left alone for the most part in the last forty-eight hours had been a simple pleasure.

His father didn't seem to notice that Gino was looking less then thrilled to be just standing in the glow of the tower, doing nothing. Johnny beamed up at it, proud of what his money had brought him and what it would represent. It gave him a sense of pride to know that this was the first step in a long process that didn't seem to have an end to it. That didn't matter now, to him at least, since three of his goals had already been meet with astounding speed. Perhaps the others would follow suit just as quickly as the rest had.

He also didn't seem to notice that the builders had long since left, without a thank you for a job well done or a pat on the back that they had done something so wonderful for him. They had stood there for at least ten minutes, waiting for anything that would come out of his mouth, anything at all. Eventually, they left, muttering about things that Johnny didn't seem to hear or, rather, had ignored. He was oblivious to the world around him at the moment, content on staring up at the metal giant that was looking down at him from above, glowing in the sunset.

"It's completed," Johnny breathed, looking as though Christmas had come early that year. Gino hardly looked happy about it, as his father took his hands off of his shoulders and started for the entrance to the tower. The boy stayed where he was, his eyes transfixed on the very top of the tower that was so high up that he could barely see it. How they were going to reach that very same top was something he didn't want to think about; just how many stairs could a creation like this hold boggled his already tainted mind.

He had questioned the man's sanity silently to himself over the last few days, too terrified to ask anyone else about it. He didn't understand what the man was doing or why he was doing it, just that he seemed to have lost a good portion of his sanity in the last couple of days. Why would a man need a tower this big, when something so much smaller would do? Gino couldn't peer into his father's mind and see what he was thinking, but he had an idea as to why it had been built. He would leave it at that for now, until he could sort out other memories that he so desperately wanted to know. If only the man would answer so many other questions, then perhaps his memories would return.

"Gino," Johnny said sternly from the tower's entrance. Gino slowly moved his head down, seeing the man's slightly crazed eyes watching him, but still concerned and unaware there were doubts lingering on his young mind about more then just the things that he should be worried about. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Gino lied, tugging on his sleeve before walking to his father. Johnny looked down at him unblinkingly, noticing the change in his son that had not been there before. He also knew the sign that something was wrong, just by the way that the boy had tugged at his sleeve. That was what he did when there was something bothering him and so it most likely was the same way with his son.

"Are you sure?" He asked, kneeling down in front of him as Gino stopped just before the entrance. He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, the near-insane look leaving his face completely. Gino didn't say anything right away, instead looking at the ground for a moment before looking him straight in the eyes.

"I know I'm missing something again, but I don't know what it is," Gino said softly. Johnny knew that expression all too well; he had seen it, long ago, before the memories had been erased. He wasn't about to go into anything that he, himself, wasn't that willing to explain. As long as there was something else that was keeping him happy for the time being, then that would have to do. There was no reason to go into something that the child wouldn't remember the next day.

"Whatever it is that you are missing, I am sure that you will get it back eventually," Johnny said, smiling as best as he could before standing up and taking Gino by the hand. And I hope it is sooner then eventually, He thought to himself, looking down at his son for a moment longer before staring at the doors in front of him. The two stood in front of the doorway for a few seconds, taking in the glow of the neon G-Corp sign, which the light shone from where it was placed at the top of the tower, before Johnny placed a hand upon the doorway and pushed it opened. It would be a long walk up to the top of the tower, but it had been worth the effort.

****

They were there before Johnny and Gino had even gotten half-way up the tower, ready to get at least a shot or two of them before they entered the mansion on top of the looming form. Maybe an interview if possible, if the helicopter could land on the rooftop without hitting any of the mansion or falling off the edge. The pilot wasn't going to attempt it, not when he was scared of what the owner would do if he landed the helicopter on the newly made tower. What a wuss, she though bitterly as she straighten her hair one last time before the camera would start rolling

Cindy Donovinh casually looked down at the top of the tower, as the news helicopter whirled above it. It hadn't been there long, perhaps a half hour at the least, waiting for the infamous Johnny Gambino to come to the to with his son in tow so they could get a quick shot of it. It didn't matter how long she had to wait for the duo to come to the top; as long as the helicopter had enough fuel in it to last several days, she could wait for them to appear. It was something she had been forced to do plenty of times, waiting for something to happen, or she would lose her job. It wouldn't be so bad, getting out of it, She thought to herself again, frowning at the height in which the helicopter was at.

It was rather boring to wait for the two to emerge, half because Cindy didn't know how long it would take them to ascend the entire monstrous thing and half because she was tired of having to cover everything Gambino. She didn't mind waiting that much, really, as she had grown accustomed to waiting for stories to finish in their entirety before leaving and going onto the next one. But having to report on the father and son had reached it's fizzling point with her, to say the least. She wouldn't be surprised on what he did next, no matter what he did or why he was doing it, as it has lost it's appeal to her so long ago. It was only for the hell of it that she covered all things Gambino, to keep the public notified without them jumping to more theories then she could image. Besides, this job paid her well enough that she could spend the next five years without having to lift a finger.

The helicopter jerked suddenly, causing Cindy to come out of her daydream. She glared at the pilot, who had his head turned over his shoulder and was nodding down towards the tower before turning his head back around. She turned her gaze to the top, only to discover that there were two figures walking on the rooftop towards the mansion. One was glaring up at the helicopter, knowing who it was and why it was there, the other slinking towards the doorway of the mansion. She sighed, grabbed her microphone, and motioned to the cameraman to start filming.

"This is Cindy Donovinh, reporting for Gaia 9 Action News," She said calmly to the camera once she had been given the signal to start speaking. She plastered a smile on her lips, making it not too fake that viewers would notice but not too happy that it wouldn't reflect her mood. "Seemingly overnight, a skyscraper has popped up on Gambino Island."

The cameraman took a few seconds to pan down to the mansion and tower, where both Johnny and Gino had stopped for a moment before heading inside. Cindy lost her simple smile in that short time frame, glad that she wouldn't have the chance to interview him so long as she stayed where she was. It was enough to have to cover the story from above, but an interview would be just pushing it for her at the moment.

"In a daring move, Johnny K. Gambino, formally Gaia's Most Powerful Man, has rebuilt his mansion with the help his rabid supporters," Cindy went on as soon as the cameraman returned the focus back on her. "This is quite shocking news, considering this same Johnny K. Gambino was recently banished from Durem where the Von Helson Sisters had monopolized Gaia's annual festivities. What will be the Von Helson's reaction to the blatant show of superiority? And what of Gambino?"

The past event wasn't something that everyone in Gaia had missed it seemed, but it was part of her job to summarize anything that had been done in the past even if she didn't like it. The entire population of Gaia knew what had happened during the last Ball even if they hadn't been there, from the tall tales of those that had been there to the posts on the message board inside of Barton. Accounts had been changed as to what exactly had transpired, but it was all the same no matter who told what version of them.

She glanced briefly down towards the top of the tower, frowning slightly at the fact that there was no one there. She already knew that both had gone into the mansion, but she couldn't let her viewers know this. Cindy looked back into the camera, a plain, slightly peeved look on her face. That look was there because she was ready for the camera to turn off so that she could return back upon the ground, but the viewers would make the assumption that she hadn't been able to get a interview from either Gambino.

"Apparently, Gambino has disappeared into his new mansion and locked the doors. We tried to get an interview but there is no way to get inside the mansion. Would could he possibly be doing inside?" She asked the camera, telling a small lie as she tilted her head to the side. The viewers didn't have to know she hadn't tried at all and most likely was not going to. "Stay turned to Gaia 9 Action News for the last developments!"

She threw the microphone into the seat next to her as soon as the cameraman lowered the camera, indicating that everything that needed to be recorded had been so. Cindy frowned at the tower in all of it's forms, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared undeterred by it. What exactly does he want with a tower this large? Is he compensating for something? She wondered to herself. At the last thought, her frown turned into a smile and a giggle escaped her lips. The cameraman gave her a weird look as he took the film out of the camera, eyeing her as though he had never heard her laugh before.

It didn't matter, really. The story had been covered so far and, if she assumed right, Cindy figured she would be there for a long time coming.

****

It was a beautiful March day in Gaia, despite the looming clouds above. The inhabitants seemed to go about their daily business as though nothing was wrong, but they could not help but look up in the direction of Isle de Gambino and be able to see the tower that stood just as tall as the heavens themselves. Some still wondered why the creation had been built, but they long since stopped caring as to what was going on inside. They had an idea as to what was going on inside and hopefully it did not include any part of the population that had often gathered at the bottom of the tower.

There were those that flipped off the tower as though it was nothing, shaking their heads and shouting things to it that they never would speak to anyone else before. Some were pelted with rocks by those that were standing there, dubbing themselves the guards of the tower. That got those that glared at the tower to leave with mutterings, often threats of doing other then just bodily harm. The rest fought back and those fights were soon broke up by the real guard, who hauled both sides back to Barton where they would be placed to cool their tempers down.

Others chose not to get into the fights, just idly watching it unfold, but there were two that would put fuel on the already burning fire. On the other side of this same land, in the city of Durem, on the middle of the stairs that lead up to the Von Helson mansion, two women sat watching people go by. Some looked in their direction, wondering why they were sitting there with their eyes looking strangely back at them. Others chose to ignore them, going about their business as though nothing was out of place. They didn't know what they were going to be doing in a few moments time, nor did they care. It was something they had no time for at the moment to wonder upon, but would hear about it eventually or even be a witness to.

"A great way to start getting back at Gambino," Anna whispered, smiling as she reached behind her and slowly placed a hand on a thin piece of wood. On top of the wooden stick, a white sign with a fancy letter 'G' and a circle with a slash around it sat tightly glued to it. They were simple sings that hadn't taken much to put together, nor buy the few materials to put it together, but they would do. These same signs would show who was on which side and what beat they would march to.

Marie didn't respond to those words like she normally would have, instead watching her sister stand up and start to move into the street that was in front of their home. She sighed, rolling her eyes and doing the same as her sister, with her own sign in her hands. The rest would be given out as more people came; they didn't want to burn themselves with these items at the beginning. She hardly thought that this was a way to gain support for their side, by making cheaply bought signs and selling them more expensively to any Gaians that were willing. Not everyone would be buying these same signs for their cause, perhaps just something to put away as a random item in their homes. Or they were Gambino supporters in disguise, watching the sisters make a fool out of themselves as they laugh in their faces and went about their business as usual.

Still, it was better then sitting in their mansion, waiting for Easter to come so they would get a late response to their favor. If Johnny Gambino could do it, why couldn't they? After all, he had defied them by trying to get support for his own cause by way of donations, so what was a little opposition? It was good for the public to view and gave them something to talk about. That brought a smile to her lips, as Anna waved her sign above her head to get some of the 'sheep herds' attention and hopefully they would buy a sign or two.

"The nerve of that Gambino," Spat Anna at the few people who had started to gather around the two sisters, to see what they were doing with these picket signs and why they were waving them around.

"Can you believe that audacity that he built on Gambino Island?" Marie asked but with less energy, glancing over those that were around them. Some were glancing at each other, wondering what possible these two could be doing. A couple already left before either sister could speak again, not rally interested in what they had to say as they went on with their lives. It was no matter, as they could get someone else to replace those that had left with ease, no matter which side they supported or why they were there.

Some Gaians would only buy the signs to shut the sisters up from their repetitive speech, just like they had donated to Gambino to keep him quiet from his own ramblings. Others wanted nothing to do with either side as they both had the same ideal behind their speeches, refusing to get into the details of the already long, drawn-out feud. The rest chose their side, knowing an all-out-war would soon erupt in their faces. How right they were, they didn't know or care so long as they were a part of it and could tell their story to their future children one day that they were a part of one of the greatest feuds in Gaian history.

And perhaps even more then that.

***

The mansion was dimly lit compared to the outside of it, yet it still held something of the past that couldn't be shaken away. It was a reminder of what had been lost, an ideal for the future, and something to explore in the present if it ever came. Everything was new, not yet tainted by the riches that had bought it into existence. Maybe soon it would change into something different, something that wasn't what it was supposed to be, but for now, it was just innocent. Innocent but easily corruptible.

Gino had found something to do while in his new home since he had been brought into it: explore. He had been given strict orders not to leave the mansion, but that was easy to do since he had spend the last few months outside in the cold. Now he was in the warmth of a home that was foreign to him and didn't want to leave, no matter what. Perhaps that was why he hadn't even started to explore the home that had been built for him, to take in each room slowly and to bask in what had been created.

Where to start was a different matter then waiting to explore it, yet soon found himself looking around the second largest bedroom, which was clear across the mansion from his father's. It had a large, four poster bed sitting in the middle of it, a worn, newly fixed-up teddy bear laying against a cream-color pillow. It was strange to see the tattered toy against everything that was new, clashing with all the expensive items that sat around it. He had wanted to ask his father about it, but the man had already departed before he could ask any questions.

It was strange that the man was leaving him alone so suddenly, as though he had grown tired o his son. Gino sat down on the edge of the bed, picking up the teddy bear and holding it against his chest. There had been a few times in the past that he had been left alone, but he had not very far from the stranger. He was now on the other side of the mansion, locking in his own bedroom, doing something Gino didn't even know he was doing. His behavior certainly had changed since the ball and that scared him. Scared him more then he'd ever understand.

He then swung his legs onto the bed itself and moved into the center, where he laid his head upon the pillow and curled up where he was. This was a moment that he wished he had someone to hold him at the moment, to tell him everything was alright, that nothing would go wrong again. But there was no one there, no one to comfort him, no one to wipe away the tears that were beginning to fall. He felt alone, like he had before Christmas, even though there was someone inside the mansion with him. That person, however, was on the other side of it, oblivious to what his son was feeling and thinking. That struck the boy hard, perhaps giving him something to cling to old, unremembered memories that were beginning to become clearer.

Perhaps that was what started his ascent back into remembrance. Or perhaps it was something else entirely. Whatever it was, it scared him so, as he closed his eyes and started to descend into a troubled sleep. Tomorrow was always another day.

**Until Next Time**


	4. Chapter 3: Until The Dawn Breaks

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Chapter Three: _Until The Dawn Breaks_

Like the Anniversary Ball that had come before it, this day held no certain calmness to it even though many were still asleep or just waking up. Everything seemed to be moving in circles, with no end in sight and now way to end the long, vicious cycle. No end to a tunnel that went on forever, holding no light at a non-existent end; not even a sliver of radiance could be seen through the cracks of the cycle, not even during one of the rare moments when it held a fleeting break. The only hope to this cycle of breaking would be when there would be a light at the end of the tunnel that would veer off onto another path completely.

Ian knew he only had a few seconds to distance himself from the never-ending cycle, hoping to find the silence he so desperately wanted to find outside his shop. It was good enough, for the moment, to get out of his shop so that he could catch a few breaths of cool air instead of breathing in the musty air of his shop. So many Gaians had come into the Boutique since he had opened the doors that morning, more then there should have been that day. It wouldn't have been surprising that the sheer number of Gaians who suddenly wanted to buy items they most likely wouldn't wear again, if this had been around Christmas time several months ago.

That was not what had been bothering him since he had opened shop that morning, not even close. It was the pastel-colored flyers that were everywhere, from the notice boards across the way, to the bottom of the fountain; he had even witnessed several Gaians shoving these same flyers into the garbage bins around the town, just to get rid of them. Ian wouldn't have been surprised if the flyers were in places he hadn't been in months; if he didn't know what these flyers held upon them, then he would have thought it was just mindless littering done by a group of Gaians that had nothing else better to do with their free time.

His eyes roamed the streets of Barton, which weren't as packed or as crowded as they had been during the days before the Ball, but still had groups of Gaians lurking around. Many had bags that held purchases from the other townships; Ian could tell which bags came from which shop without even having to look inside the bags themselves. He knew, by picking out the two that were the most popular among these groups of Gaians, from the black and pink bags alone came from the Durem Depot, while the gold ones came from somewhere in Aekea. It was amazing at how much the Gaian population was willing to spend for one event and not feel the need to wear those same items again.

Then his eyes stopped right over a short Gaian's head, a soft smile coming upon his lips. He could barely see an older woman walking quickly out of a shop in the far corner of Barton, shooing three young Gaians out into the street. He had to stiffen a laugh at the look on their faces, ,assuming that they had more then a swift kick out of the shop. The woman's eyes darted away from the three that were muttering low to themselves,, catching Ian's eye for a brief moment. She didn't have to put on a forced smile, as there was already one upon her lips as she started for the center of the township. Ian matched her stride, knowing this would most likely be one of the few times that he could say a few words that didn't seem like he had repeated them thousands of times.

"Morning Ian, although it certainly isn't much of one any longer," Agatha said, walking to the square of Barton just as Ian did, stifling a yawn. She appeared to have just woken from the night's sleep, although she had long since been up, perhaps even more the light's first rays. Perhaps it was the lack of quietness of the last few weeks or it was because of something else entirely. Whatever it was, Ian felt the same way, tired and worn even after a long night's rest.

"Morning, Agatha," He replied, stretching his arms. "Slow today, you would think, after everything that has been going on."

"It most likely won't be like that for long, so enjoying this moment while it lasts. I have a feeling that Easter won't be as quiet as the Anniversary Ball was, perhaps even more so with that damnable creation on the island." This was a wisp of annoyance in her voice, something that Ian caught immediately. He, like so many others, had a feeling something bad was going to happen in the next few weeks, once the tower had been completed and everyone had started to talk about it. He was more afraid of what the Von Helson reaction would be then what Gambino would do, that being a change from what he had first felt only a few short months ago.

"I don't know what would happen during Easter, but you are right. It won't be quiet, considering everyone is clamoring to choose sides, even if they aren't on a side quite yet," Ian said with a nod. Agatha leaned down, picking up a sheet of pastel green paper that had blown their way from across the street. There were countless others laying about, some taped down onto things while others floated about in a mess that looked nearly impossible to clean up. Whoever would be in charge of cleaning up the mess that went from the city to the island, wouldn't have very much fun with it.

"I've got about twenty of these in my shop since this morning and that is not counting the ones that have been left all over the counter and floor," Agatha said, straightening her back as she waved the flyer in the air. Ian didn't have to ask what the flyer was for; he already knew what was written on it. "It's like the sisters want everyone to turn their attention away from the island, to see if they could truly forget that...that tower. They aren't doing a good job of it, that's for sure. No one could forget that thing."

"Those things are everywhere it seems. There has to be thousands of them floating around, but it's not like the Gaian Community is going to ignore it. Not with the word of mouth already going around without the help of the flyers." He frowned at the thought of the sisters wasting more paper on something that everyone knew was going to happen anyways or they could have just posted something in places where everyone could see them and with less waste. "And how exactly are they going to do the eggs this year? Hire someone to be the Easter Bunny?"

"Naturally, since that is what Easter is for." She crumpled the flyer into a small, tight ball and threw it over her shoulder. She didn't care where it went, so long as she didn't have to look at it again. "You don't know who is going to be the Bunny this year, do you?"

Ian didn't respond as soon as he should have, staring at the ball of paper rolling away, towards the center of the paved street. In fact, he didn't know who was going to be playing the role of the Easter Bunny this year, as he had done it the year before and everyone had gotten a kick out of it. Gambino had always asked him to do it, regardless of how many times Ian had donned the horrible-looking costume. But Johnny isn't the one throwing the Easter Ball this year, ht thought simply. It had been fun to do when he had been asked to, even though everyone in Gaia knew it was him that had dressed up. He smiled, laughing at a passing thought.

"No clue, Agatha. Seriously, so stop giving me that look," He said when he noticed the inquiring look that was on her face. "I think it's going to be different this year, since the sisters want everything to be 'perfect' for their Ball. They most likely want people to forget what happened during the last one they threw, wouldn't they? They wouldn't want a simple shopkeeper to be in a tattered Bunny Suit, now would they?"

"That's true, but you make a very good Easter Bunny," Agatha said, smiling widely. She then gave him a sideways look that indicated she wanted to know something more. "You sure you don't know anything about this, do you?"

"No, nothing," He said truthfully. Agatha looked at him for a few moments more before her eyes wandered over towards the direction of the island, then up to the shadow of the tower. Ian didn't follow her gaze, but knew what she was looking at; even at Barton, which was the closest place to Isle de Gambino but still quite a distance away, they could see the tower from where they were standing without even having to step back to stare at it. "Strange, isn't it? The tower, I mean?"

"No more strange then when the sisters suddenly appeared a few months ago after being away for so long," She pointed out. "You would think that, with the tower being built and the new mansion on top of it, that Johnny would have opened his mansion to the public and have a Easter Ball to spite the sisters. A good portion of the population that still believe in him and support him. There is, however, a darker side to this one."

She tried to shrug off the uneasy feeling she got at the pit of her stomach, and the look on Ian's face, but she couldn't deny the fact that she knew something was wrong somewhere and that this was just a joke gone wrong. It didn't help either, that so many people were wondering what was going to eventually happen between the two sides, whether it was going to be a repeat of Halloween before or if it was just going to be as peaceful as Christmas had been. Whatever it was, it still didn't help her to think that the horrors had already past and there was nothing wrong anywhere.

"A darker side to what? Easter?" Ian inquired, watching Agatha wrap her arms over her upper arms. She nodded, moving her gaze to the ground.

"I can't help to think that there is something wrong somewhere and that Halloween is just about to repeat itself." She waved off the paled look that came upon Ian's face. "No, no zombies this year. I couldn't take that again, not even if it was some sick joke that was played out by Gaians. I don't think anyone could."

"The sisters won't like that at all." Ian smiled faintly at something, shuddering at a passing thought a second later.

He still remembered the nightmares he had after Halloween, at least thankful that they weren't even remotely close to being true. But, to see the look on the sisters faces when a group of Gaians dressed up and acted like zombies would be well worth it; hell, he would even pay to see that happen.

No matter what came of the upcoming ball, he knew it was just a matter of time before it would change Gaia once again.

****

To the east of Barton lies Aekea, a junkyard to some yet a haven for others. It wasn't particularly busy here, some wandering Gaians looking over the junk that was scattered across before wandering over to the Faktori to see if any new furniture came in. there were a few that wandered over to Crate & Apparel, partly because they were curious as to why it was closed on a day like this. Others simple followed the rest, not knowing why they were going in this direction or why there were people leaving, just as confused.

None had bothered to look around the back of the shop, or they would have taken notice of what was to be used during the Easter Ball that was only a few days away. It was quite well-hidden, despite it still being out in the open to those that had more then a keen sense of poking their noses where it didn't belong. To those that didn't bother to put two and two together, they would assume it was a giant statue of a bunny holding a carrot on it's shoulder, standing still and looking as menacing as it should be. No one knew what it would be used for, if they saw it at all, but the population would soon be introduced to a new character.

Liam stepped back from this new creation after cleaning it up, wiping the sweat from his forehead, as he stared at the newest invention to come out of Aekea. He had to smile at the creation that had taken him since before the Anniversary Ball to design and create, a feat that would've taken him less time to create if the order had come from someone else then the two that had hired him for his services. It didn't pay as well as it should have, given the time frame that he had been given and the amount that wouldn't even have covered the metal and parts used to create it, if he didn't already have all of it at his disposal already. Still, it gave him some more gold in his pocket that would have come from his shop alone.

"What in all the gods and goddesses names are you doing?" A voice snapped from behind him. Liam turned his head over his shoulder, his smile faltering as Josie stormed from where the back door of Crate & Apparel was. She didn't look too happy at the fact that she had caught him somewhere else besides his shop on a day that it shouldn't have been closed.

"Hi Josie," He muttered, turning his gaze back towards the metal bunny. Josie came to his side, stopping as she stared, open mouthed, at the gigantic rabbit in front of her. It stood just as tall as Edmund, perhaps an inch or two taller, with the same scar that was on his forehead on the arm that faced Barton. The other arm supported the carrot, which was hallow inside of it, except for the devices that gave it's voice and any sensors that weren't in it's eyes that told it someone was near, with or without any eggs.

"What in the hell is that?" She asked as soon as she got over the shock of seeing something like this, hiding where few could see it. She wasn't exactly surprised to see another robot that was already in it's finished stage, but most of the creations that were made she had seen a good portion of the process being done to it. "And how come you didn't parade it around the entire time you were working on it when you usually do?"

"That is the Easter Bunny, robotized," Liam said, the smile returning to his lips. "The reason that I didn't let anyone else see me working on it, was because it's not something I did for the hell of it, Josie. I was paid to build it and one of the conditions to me building it was that I couldn't show it to anyone. Yet, anyways. Everyone else will see it in time."

Josie stared at Liam for a moment, not saying a word to him or even trying to make out what exactly was the plan with the large, metal bunny standing lifeless in front of them. Her only assumption was that it was going to be used for the Von Helson's Easter party, when everyone else was expecting a live person to dress up this year. Her assumptions were mostly accurate, or as accurate as they could be without much hard feelings. Still, she had an uneasy feeling about this robot, no matter how innocent it seemed to be.

"How exactly is it going to get to Durem? I'm sure that people will be asking about it when it is delivered," She said, her eyes still on Liam. He rubbed the back of his head, not meeting her gaze; this indicated to her that he hadn't even thought of that just yet.

"He'll be activated on Easter, then deactivated when he has no more use this year. Nothing complicated about it." Liam gave her a quick, sideways glance. "Stop looking at me like that. I know you don't like robots, but this one is for Easter, that's all. It'll remain back here until it's needed again."

"Whatever you say," Came Josie's reply as she headed towards the back entrance to the shop, leaving Liam alone with his new creation. Liam just shrugged went over to the newly created robot, party satisfied with it. He wasn't entirely happy with the way that it had turned out, but it would do for once a year. No one would notice the slight imperfections that he saw in them, no matter how big they seemed to him. He would fix it after Easter was over and the Ball that the sisters were throwing was over.

If it survived the population of Gaia first.

****

Days had passed since the completion of the Robot Easter Bunny and the notice of the Easter Ball that was being thrown by none other then the Von Helson sisters. All of Gaia were excited to know what items they would be receiving this year and if there were any extra events that would be playing out in front of them. They were all surprised by the metallic creature striding from the distant horizon, with a oversized carrot on it's shoulder and a metallic voice that gave them instructions on how to collect their prizes. Some were disappointed that they had to actually work for their items this event, muttering things as they went about going to the mansion in Durem to get what they had to get for their basket. It would take them a certain amount of time to get the items, but perhaps it would be worth it in the end.

Some just shrugged their shoulders and collected the eggs, knowing that if they found a lot, they could just as easily sell them at the Marketplace to those that wanted them. Others would wait for those Gaians to sell the items, too lazy to collect all of the eggs or had not been able to attend the ball during it's entirety. Whatever the reason, at least people would be able to collect the items even if they had to buy them where others had gotten them for free. It was the way that the Marketplace was, selling items and getting what people wanted.

The Easter Ball had started earlier in the day, to crowds of people that had talked to the Easter Bunny and those that just wanted to gather in a place that had free food and drink. Many were even more disappointed to know that the sisters weren't even inside the mansion, ready to greet them with their fake cheer. Instead, there were countless security guards at every corner, to make sure no one got into anything they weren't supposed to. The sisters had learned their lesson from the Anniversary Ball and had hired more security to even things out, if their party should be crashed again. That was the least of their worries at the moment, who was going to be coming inside their home and who was going to stay home that day.

Anna and Marie Von Helson stood with a small crowd of people that had gathered around them that weren't inside their mansion or elsewhere in Gaia, enjoying themselves instead of standing around the sisters. Some had pickets signs that they had bought from the sisters earlier, but had come back to see if their idols needed anything, ranging from a coffee break to the need to use the bathroom. The sisters were fine, as they had told the gatherers, although they were flattered at the fact that they were being asked for help when all they had expected was Gaians to buy their signs.

They had been ignored by some that went straight into the mansion without even a look towards them, just to get into the party for the fun, games, and eggs. Anna had shouted things towards them that she normally wouldn't have said publicly, Marie pulling her back to her senses so that they wouldn't get any more odd looks from the few that were around them. Some of those that had gathered, left without even buying a sign, too afraid that either sister would claw them apart at any moment. Marie muttered things that her sister had shouted, leaning upon one of the signs as the last of the group had slinked into the mansion or went elsewhere.

"It's getting too dry, the flow of gold," She said softly with a sigh. Anna gave her a sideways look, a frown on her lips. She knew that was the truth, that there weren't as many people who were willing to donate to them as they had been to their rival.

"It's not fair. How come Gambino got more then us?" Anna pouted, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched a couple of Gaians wander pass, each wearing a V-pin that they had gotten at the last Ball. That lifted Anna's spirits some, but not to the point that it gave her any hope of getting more gold.

"Because of that damnable son of his, that's why," Marie spat, kicking the sign she had been leaning on and swearing under her breath. "If only he hadn't chosen that vegetable over power, then we would have had the excuse of helping him."

Marie had wanted to say more, but the words had caught in her throat before they even had the chance to form. Anna didn't seem to notice that her sister had choked on her words, as she went after a Gaian that had walked out with a basket of eggs and was going to find the Easter Bunny to give to him, sign in hand. She didn't feel like going after her sister this time to scold her for this, instead remaining behind to watch everyone walk by with different masks and baskets of eggs. These things were so easy to create and so many were willing to get for nothing but a bit of hard work.

Marie's eyes moved from her sister, up into the sky and finally onto the tower that sat so very far away from them. It was tall, she gave Gambino that much, but it was worthless as the eggs in which the two of them had gotten. Still, she couldn't shake a feeling that came to the pit of her stomach that she didn't like. It had been the same feeling that she had gotten when she first heard of her father's death, that something wasn't right somewhere yet couldn't put her finger on it. Many nights had been spent, lying awake to try and figure out what was wrong but the truth had never came out. Nothing ever did, when it came to the two most powerful families in all of Gaia.

Two families that would be entwined in something else that was greater then they could ever imagine.

****

Footsteps rang out in the hallway, a sound that seemingly echoed throughout the entire mansion. They were heading somewhere faraway, becoming fainter as they moved quickly to the front of the mansion that was so cold, even in the early spring warmth. These footsteps didn't reflect the gleam that was in the owner's eyes, or the wild look that was on his face, but an urgency to go out into the open air above Gaia and bask in the glow was what these footsteps were saying. All of the land would be watching and that was the way he so desperately wanted to be.

On the other side of the mansion, Gino had come out of his room, just to find his way into the kitchen to get something to eat before retreating back into his room once again. He stopped short of the kitchen door when he heard the unmistakable sounds of faint footsteps coming from the long hallway, although as they grew fainter, he had to strain to hear them. He listened for a moment more to see where they were going before he could no longer hear them whisper something he couldn't understand. There was no sudden movement as he stood there in the silence, afraid that he and his father weren't alone any more.

He didn't know how long he stood there, or when he had started to run towards the entrance of the mansion, but all Gino knew was that he had to get to his father soon. He didn't know what his father would do once he reached the doors, if this stranger inside was really his father, yet he knew he had to stop him before he did anything he would regret later. If he could stop the man before, he could do it again, but could be by just calling out to him once again? The man had seemed so happy to see him when the two of them came together during Christmas; that was over and there might not be any more miracles left.

He didn't even realize how far the hallway to the mansion's entrance was, stopping only once to catch his breath. The mansion was big, perhaps even bigger then the mansion he had been inside during the Anniversary Ball; he had to give his father that much. Bigger then what the two of them really needed, more space then what the boy knew what to do with. If the man knew that much from inside the taint that was quickly moving across his mind, then that was something else that he had to give credit to his father. If he could ever look up at him again without wondering when he would snap, as the question of 'if' was no longer an option; he had already shown to Gino that he could lapse into a few seconds of insanity.

"Gino, stay," A voice commanded him from the doorway to the mansion as he came within a few feet of it. Gino skidded to a stop, looking up at the figure in the shadows, as it turned halfway around to gaze down at his son. Gino took several steps back at the look in the man's eyes, the same ones that had been so caring, so loving, to him only a few weeks before. Now they were cold, ruthless even, a wildness in them that made the boy feel scared just to look into them. "Stay inside, where you can be safe. I don't want you outside."

"But...." Gino started before he was cut off suddenly.

"I said, stay inside!" The man barked, turning back to the doorway, ignoring whatever muttering his son now had. If it worked, if his raising of his voice actually sparked something in his memory, then it was one less thing he had to worry about at the moment. One less thing that he had to look out for while standing on the rooftop, getting any more support then he already had.

One less thing to let the land of Gaia look down upon.

****

It seemed like forever since Easter had started, but it was over before anyone knew what had happened. So many had wanted something to happen instead of collecting Easter eggs, yet there was nothing that was remotely more interesting then the robot version of the Easter Bunny. By the time that the Ball was over with, it had disappeared, along with the eggs that had dried up along with the disappearance of the Easter Bunny. Some believed that the two events had something in common with each other, that the bunny was the only thing that made the eggs appear. In reality, whatever left-over eggs were still around, several Gaian's managed to take to sell at the Marketplace for any extra gold that they could get out of it.

On the island, it was a different scene then what was going on in Durem. A crowd of onlookers and Gambino supporters had gathered around the basin of the tower, some trying to force their way into the building without much success. The doors were too heavily bolted shut for anyone to even attempt to get in and there were no other entrances inside, save for the one on top of the tower. This crowd was waiting for any signs of the man who built it to come out, perhaps with his son, so that they could bestow anything else upon him.

In fact, they were in for a surprise as there was hidden movement inside the mansion as they waited. It had only taken him a few seconds to open the doors to the mansion and walk out into the open air, with a slight turn of his over his shoulder to make sure that the boy stayed inside. He closed the doors tightly behind him, his back laying upon them for a moment as he breathed in the air and laughed manically. It felt good to laugh like that again, when he had everything in the world and nothing to lose. That had been something he had dreaded, losing something so close to him, but this wasn't like the last time. No, he had everything he wanted and possibly even more then that.

Johnny Gambino slowly walked towards the edge of the tower, the same mad, wild look in his eyes that Gino had seen, yet they had suddenly started to glow in the light of the fading day. He could feel the same power that he had from before Halloween, the same rush that he had coursing through his veins. It felt good to feel it again, even if it pushed him even more to the bridge between the realms of sanity and insanity. He knew that it would most likely end his life at the moment, but that was one of the farthest things from his mind at the moment, the only thing that was keeping him on the side of sanity at the moment.

As he came to the edge of the tower, he stood there for a moment, eyes looking down to the very bottom of the tower. Although he couldn't see anyone down there as well as he should, he knew that his supporters, laced with those that had either chosen no side or were on the Von Helson side, were there, chanting his name over and over again. His own way of giving back to those that had donated, in which he had to thank the sisters for giving him the idea, were that of the same kind of signs that they had created. Instead of having a large, golden G upon it, it held the silver VH family symbol on it, something that he had used a portion of his money to fund. They were of better quality then what the sisters were handing out, but they were effective none the less.

He stood there for a moment, letting the wind ruffle his hair and the soft whispers of those down below to reach his ears. Something inside of him snapped at that moment, something small that a normal Gaian would have ignored, something that changed everything inside of him. Just standing there, knowing that he had gotten the sisters attention, the whole of Gaia's attention, and more then what he needed in support and riches, gave him a rush that he had never felt before. Even before everything collapsed during Halloween, the rush had never been this intense, this wonderful to the touch, that he had nearly forgotten what it was like to hold power in the palms of his hands. He laughed again, this time at those that thought he would never return to his former power and perhaps even beyond that.

"My supporters! I told you I would not forget what you've done for me!" Johnny screamed down to them as he outstretched his arms, hoping that those down below could hear him. His voice was loud and booming, something that had always come naturally to his voice when he wanted people to hear him, so he assumed that they could hear him. If they couldn't, which was something that was the farthest from his mind, then he would have to install microphones somewhere on the top so that even those in Durem could hear him. "I can feel the power emanating from me! The will of the people is on my side!"

The power that he once held before the disastrous Halloween party, the same power that he once took a vow never to feel again, was now pulsing through him. It was something that he had longed to feel, something that radiated from every pour in his body. If the G-Corp sign had not been right under him, all of Gaia would have thought that the power that was inside him was giving him a unnatural radiance from under his skin. His eyes were just as wild as ever, a maniacal laugh coming from his lips, and a large, uneven smile spreading across his face.

Johnny shouted more words down towards the crowd below, which were lost in a gust of wind that carried them out to the ocean. No one down below the tower seemed to take notice that they couldn't hear him speak, as they cheered even more loudly then before. Some had started to go towards the city, perhaps to clash with those that supported the Von Helsons; others stayed where they were, intent on supporting him where they were. Others shook their heads, not only at the tower itself but the man who built it as well, and went back to their daily lives as though nothing was wrong. Nothing was out of place, or would be in the next few short days.

So consumed by his power that he didn't even notice the helicopter had come back from a refueling break, something that he would have noticed if his mind wasn't reeling in the possibilities of what he could regain with the power and riches that he now had at his fingertips. Like he had ignored the helicopter before, he ignored it now, too caught up in his power to even take notice of it. It didn't matter to him, whether any news program was watching his escapade; it was more exposure to him and more reasons to get more gold into his pockets.

In fact, Cindy and the news crew hadn't even noticed that Johnny had come out of his mansion until they were right on top of the tower, looking down onto it from it's vantage point. She peered down to where he was laughing and stretching his arms out wide, a frown on her lips. This was different from the man who had calmly asked for donations not long ago, now looking as though something had finally snapped inside of him and this was the product of it. It was a story at least, one that got her heart beating faster. Had this happened when the tower been completed, and she didn't have orders from the Gaia 9 Headquarters to cover the story of it being complete, then it would have saved her several days of sheer boredom and waiting.

"Ready?" She said, leaning forwards as the door to the helicopter opened. A gust of wind came inside and, like it tossed Johnny's hair, it did the same for Cindy's. The cameraman didn't say anything, staring down at the spectacle down below him before moving his eyes back up to Cindy. They shared a momentary gaze of amazement at how fast one person could change, before he nodded and got the camera ready to begin the taping. He gave her the signal that everything was ready, Cindy straightening her back and turning on her microphone, smiling as sweetly as she could before speaking--rather, shouting,--into the camera and over the wind. "This is Cindy Donovinh, reporting for Gaia 9 Action News. Newsflash! Johnny K. Gambino, formally Gaia's most powerful man, has finally emerged from his mansion!"

She paused long enough so that the cameraman could pan down to get a few seconds of Johnny standing on the rooftop, arms spread wide towards the heavens and a unnatural laugh coming from his lips. If she could have heard him laugh at that moment, she would have shuddered at it, pulling herself closer and feeling as though there was nothing else that would have scared her at the moment than his laugh. With the roar of the wind mixed with the sound of the blades of the helicopter, she was glad that she could only see him but not hear him.

"He appears to be going mad! It seems that the current events, such as his son losing his memory, coupled with the aspirations of revolution, and his recent regaining of his riches have driven him off the deep end," Cindy continued as soon as the camera was back upon her. She opened her mouth to say something else, but found no words that came out of it. For once in her long reporting career, she found she had no words to comment on a story like this, other then recapping what had happened at the Anniversary Ball and before it. The entire population, regardless of when they had come to Gaia, knew of what happened and why it had.

"What's wrong?" The cameraman mouthed to her silently, looking at her to continue. She stared at the camera for a moment, then at the watch that she wore around her wrist. To her, it was still early in the day to anything, but most likely too late for anyone else. If there was going to be any excitement, she would have to plan something in advance so that people would tune into the program without witnessing anything that hadn't been planned out already.

"Please tune in at 3 PM, April 1st, for a special report on these latest developments. This has been Cindy Donovinh, Gaia 9 Action News," Cindy finished, nodding to the cameraman to turn the camera off. As soon as it was apparent that no more filming was being down, she sighed and leaned back, looking down towards where Gambino was standing. She had no idea as to what was going to happen on April 1st, a day when pranks would run wild and no one would believe anything could happen. Perhaps that was way she chose that day and time, to do something witty enough to keep people interested in the story or perhaps it would finally snap him out of his insanity.

Whatever it was for, everyone would remember the time and day that the land stood still.

**Until Next Time**


	5. Chapter 4: Remembrance

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Chapter Four: _Remembrance_

No one seemed to want to wait for three o'clock to come around, even if it was the same news report that had been given before. Many Gaians stopped their April Fools jokes early in order to watch the news program, much to those who received the jokes joy. It would be a small break from the festivities of the day and the ones that had come before, one that would most likely last a lifetime or more. If anyone would survive this, that is.

Those that did would take this day as the end of all things that had been fought over and everything that was supposed to be. Everything would change on this day, a day when they thought it was a joke rather then actual events that had played out. When the dust would eventually clear, and the damage seen, no one would have been found laughing; instead, they would be wondering what had happened and why it had come to be. Nothing would ever be the same, not in all the years that would follow. It was just something they had to eventually accept, no matter how hard it would be to.

Watching the top of the tower from the helicopter above it, Cindy stared down at the man who seemed so oblivious to the world around him. For a few fleeting moments, she actually pitied him, in a way she couldn't explain to herself or any of her viewers. Did she actually feel sorry for him, or for the boy that was trapped inside the rooftop mansion? Why would she even remotely feel sorry for the man standing below, the same one that had gone insane with power? It was confusing to say the least, even more so because she normally never felt torn between reporting the story and the ones that she was reporting on.

She couldn't tell her emotions from each other, as the shuffling of the cameraman and the uneasiness of the pilot, as the helicopter jerked slightly, gave her a reason to come out of her questioning thoughts. The cameraman tapped his watch as he hosted the camera onto his shoulder, Cindy looking down at her own to see what time it was. It was almost three, with only a few moments to spare. It wouldn't hurt to go live a few moments early, not when almost everyone in Gaia was already sitting in front of their televisions, eagerly waiting for the news to start. She smiled several times to get her lips ready to look happy for the camera, pulling her microphone from her lap and waiting patiently for the signal to start speaking.

"This is Cindy Donovinh for Gaia 9 Action News, reporting to you from the top of Gambino's tower," Cindy started as soon as she was signaled to start reporting. She paused for a moment to try to find the exact words to repeat what she had said in past reports, her lips pressed into a thin line for a brief moment. She did not like repeating herself, even if it was for those that did not know the story; it was surprising that there weren't. Yet, she continued anyway, smiling as forcefully as she could without making it seem too fake. "For those of you just tuning in, Johnny K. Gambino, formerly Gaia's most powerful man, has regained his riches and built a massive skyscraper on Gambino Island. It is believed that Gambino supporters donated a massive amount of gold to his gold to his caused, which he then used to completed this gargantuan feat of architecture.

"For over a week, Gambino has locked himself in his mansion, only to reappear to combat the Von Helson sister's Easter Extravaganza. He is currently atop his tower and appears to have gone insane! We now go live to the scene with the following report!" As soon as she was finished, the cameraman turned from Cindy to where Johnny K. Gambino was standing, laughing at the heavens above with his arms stretched out in front of him.

She shuddered at the thought of what his man must be thinking at the moment, what he was planning on doing, and the reason behind the madness. It only takes a little bit of power to start to feel the tug of it, She thought to herself as the cameraman continued to film Gambino's insanity. It was horrible to think about what had caused this to happen, even if it had started out as an innocent way to regain memories that had been lost to tragedy many months ago. If it would bring any more tragedy into the normal Gaian life, then she didn't know what would happen or how anyone would react.

They just hoped it was a momentary lapse into what used to be.

****

On the other side of Gaia, far away from the insanity of Johnny Gambino yet still in the shadows of the tower, something was beginning to take shape. Something that made the day become more cold, as dark clouds rolled from the south and the wind started to blow from the north. Anyone that was outside at the time, looked up at the sky with questioning looks and points to the apparent darkness that was falling upon their beloved land. Since they had been promised a warm day with no chance of rain, they were surprised to see rain clouds and the sound of thunder in the distance. Was this something that indicated a bigger happening elsewhere in the land? Or was the weather station wrong in predicting the weather for this day?

It was unusual for a day like this, when the weather had finally become clear and warm enough for everyone to be wandering the streets of the townships, going through the stores and looking. Kites were supposed to be flown, the centers of the towns filled with people, and everyone enjoying a day that no one thought could have broken out of the dullness of winter. No one was enjoying a day like this, not when there were so much more that held their interest. The day would become even darker then it was, without the help of the mysterious weather that engulfed Gaia and her Territories.

The minutes were slowly going towards the hour of three o'clock; one by one, they made their move towards the hour as they always had. No one was really watching the clock tower at the moment, not when there was so much more interesting things going on other then checking the time every few seconds. Even if there were several wayward glances towards the tower, they would not have seen a figure walking along the top railing, carrying what looked like a rifle case to get as close to the island as possible without leaving Durem or the clock tower. The business of the cloaked figure was no one else's concern, not when they did not notice this stranger enter the tower at the base from a hidden entrance.

Dong.

Dong.

Dong.

The clock tower rang out the hour of three o'clock noisily, as those on the ground below it jumped from their looking's at the clouds above. They merely glanced at it, not even taking notice that someone had set down the black case and started to open it with ease. Whoever this stranger was, had darker intentions then what others had even bothered to think of or even wanted to know, as the stranger lifted the contents out slowly. There was no need to hastily do this, not when there was so much error at a distance such as this to complete the task at hand. So much could go wrong with even a slight miscalculation.

The cloak figure rested the riffle in it's hands, loading it with such easy and quietness that, if there had been anyone standing with the figure at the moment on the tower, they would have not heard it. It gave this person a satisfaction of knowing that it's deed was only a few seconds away from actually happening, a smile creeping onto it's lips. It didn't have the insane look upon it's hidden face, so unlike that of Gambino's, but the smile was still the same. Wide and uncaring of what the outside world thought or if there was anyone that could actually stop it. At least this one person could keep their identity a secret for the time being, until it's employers gave up this secret or it was found out by any groups of snooping Gaians.

Then, the cloaked figure took aim.

****

He had done what his father had told him several days ago and stayed inside, even when he had heard the all too familiar of the helicopter that had been there when the two had first come to the top of the tower. He had pressed his ear to the door every day since his father had went to the edge of the tower and stayed there, listening to the whirling blades and the faint but distinguished laughter from his father. There were a few times that he had to hold back the tears so that, if the man ever came back inside, he wouldn't have seen his son cry. That was the last thing that the boy wanted, now that everything had changed.

Gino felt scared, more scared for the man then scared for his own safety. He remembered the man as caring in the last few months, despite them not having any place to go and barely enough food for the both of them. Those memories were the only ones he had at the moment and the only ones that would soon fade into the haze that his past memories were in. It would all soon come flooding back to him, he just didn't know it at the moment nor did the man that stood outside, separated from his son once again.

At the moment, he didn't care what the man thought about his actions or why he was doing them to begin with. Gino had long stopped feeling as though he needed to listen to the man's words and start doing what he had to do besides what someone else told him to do. He didn't even remember the man as his father or any other living relative, no matter what the few similarities they had between themselves were and what others had said. There was nothing, no feelings, no memories. Nothing to relate to the man in question that was on the verge of becoming even more insane.

It was at this point that he defied the man's previous orders and pushed one of the doors open towards the outside world. Much to his surprise and delight, it was open as he stepped outside as soon as there was enough room for him to get through. Despite what bleakness was overhead, the light from above blinded him for a moment. It took him only seconds for him to get used to the unusual bright light, then he saw the man at the edge of the tower, laughing as though there was no one else in Gaia that existed.

The boy stared at the man, his mouth hanging open slightly at the man that was in his own little world. This same man who had barely let him out of his sight since Christmas, now had his back completely turned to him and was ignoring him as though he did not even exist. He had failed to recognized him then and had continued to do so in the last few months, even with all the attempts at his memory coming back by the very same man. However, he now sensed something that was familiar to him, something that was dark and sinister. Perhaps it was true evil that he sense, rather then a familiar tingling feeling.

It was at this very moment that the haze that was around his mind, lifted and everything became more clear then it had been in the months before. Memories came flooding back, memories that had been surprised before but now were remembered by this simple feeling. His eyes went wide at the memories that came back to him in droves, of the good and the bad, of the sorrowful and the lighthearted, of everything leading up to this moment. That evil he senses was what made all the puzzle pieces come together, the evil that he could feel coming from the insane person in front of him. And it's name was--

"--Father?" Gino whispered. It was soft to those that had never heard him speak before, but it was loud enough for one person to hear and that was all that mattered.

****

What had brought him from the realm of insanity was as simple as a child's voice, as Johnny's head snapped around. The boy that stood there, despite his orders to stay inside, stared up at him, not with confusion that had once been upon his face but by a recognition that he had longed to see on his face. The boy looked almost as though he had just woken from a dream rather then having his memories restored to him, a few steps taken towards him with a hope that his father was more then glad to have his memories back.

"Gino!" He shouted as he turned around, opening his arms wide to let the boy in. Tears came to his eyes, tears that showed more then his face did. There was no madness on his features, no maniacal laughter coming form his lips, no insanity in his eyes. Every gold coin he had gained only a few weeks ago to the tower they were standing on meant nothing to him now, not when there was something more important then it. All that really mattered was the boy that was staring to come towards him, happy as ever before.

"Father!" Gino sobbed, his own tears forming at his eyes. He opened his arms as well, ready to embrace the father he could not remember until now. It was like Christmas for him and his memories were a present that he had longed to open.

"You're back!" Johnny screamed, all of his emotions coming at him at once. There were no words that could remotely pin-point what he was feeling now, other then he was overjoyed and happy at the same time. So many times he had dreamed of this moment when they were truly together again instead of being just a shell of what once had been. Now it was more then a dream, it was a reality.

But this reunion would be short lived, taking away a father from his son once again. This moment of joy and happiness had been stopped by a single bullet that had pierced what was supposed to be an occasion that had been long-awaited, even by those that were not even anywhere near the tower itself. For a few brief seconds, neither person on the rooftop moved, as though time itself had stopped, before everything quickly came rushing back to the present moment.

Johnny's hands moved towards where he had been hit, his movements becoming automatic and his mind trying to process what had happened. He didn't know what had actually happened to him; all he knew was that he had fallen into a world of pain and there was nothing he, or anyone else, could do about it. His smile had faded just as suddenly as he had been pulled from the realm of insanity, his eyes rolling back into his eyes and his body slowly starting to move backwards. There was no more control over his body as his hands moved from his body as he fell from the rooftop he had been standing on only a few moments before. He had no more strength to do anything but fall towards the loaming ground.

His pocket watch, the same one that he had for countless years, had been shattered by the impact of a speeding bullet. Whether it had been the force of the impact or it was something else entirely, there would be no one that would even remotely care. The contents of it were also moving towards the ground at the same rate that it's owner was, glass and the inner workings splitting into different pieces. It was not working no longer, not even when the man seemed to be no longer alive.

At 3 PM, April 1st, 2005, Johnny K. Gambino had been shot.

****

It had been a shot that was heard around the world, something that no one had ever heard before. Everything seemed to be slowing down to a halt, every person looking at each other in hopes that someone else knew what that sound had been. It had only sounded once, from the direction of Durem, as eyes moved towards where Isle de Gambino lay. How they knew it had landed there, no one knew nor did they seem to care. They knew something had happened and were trying to make sense of it all.

No one knew exactly what had happened until they had listened to the report that Cindy had made while the cameraman had caught everything on film, whether they were listening to it on the radio or had watched the events that had folded out in front of them through the TV. The world had stopped spinning during this time, everything becoming still as it never had been before. No one seemed to be speaking or even moving, as some dropped to their knees and sobbed into their hands. Others just stared out into the open in shock, regardless of which side they were on or who they supported. Only a small handful actually paid no heed to anything that was around them, only that they were more then glad that the events had played out. They went on with their lives as though nothing had happened, smiling to themselves that the Gambino reign was finally over.

It was hard to determine why it had happened, but it had. It had without anyone being able to stop it. Gino was the only one that seemed to have just stood there and done nothing, his eyes wide with fear as he stared at the place where his father once had stood. He couldn't comprehend what had happened, even with the events that had played right in front of him. His mind was reeling from his memories finally being remembered to the shot that had sounded so loudly in his ears. He just stood there, in shock, as everything just came full-circle.

He bowed his head, clutching his hands together, and stood where he was, trying so desperately not to cry but the tears came anyways. There had been nothing he could do to stop his father from being shot or to fall backwards from the tower. He had frozen where he was standing, not even trying, not even forcing his body to attempt to keep his father's body from falling out of his reach. Had this been someone else that had been shot, and his father still on the rooftop with him, the words that would come in his direction would not be nice but cold and without anything to indicate that his father actually cared. Not like the man that had been at his side in the last few months, trying so hard to patch up old wounds.

Then, Gino raised his head, several tears going down his cheek before they dried up. There was no sadness in his eyes, no happiness that had once been in them but had been shattered by a tragedy that had torn him from his father once again. No, there was anger in his eyes, anger that had never surfaced until now. It was anger that he felt towards his father, anger that his mind had been forced into the haze that it had been in, anger that his father knowingly put his only child into danger. So many people had lost their lives on that fateful Halloween day and Gino hated his father for that.

He did not know why he felt angry, perhaps because he remembered the things that had been said to him and the things that had been done to him in the past. Regardless of that anger he felt, there was still sadness there, but not like it had been only a few moments before. There would be no explanations at this moment if he couldn't explain them himself, as he turned towards the mansion and strode towards it, unaware that the tower itself was about to fall down just like his father was.

Perhaps, despite everything, there still was a chance that his father was alive and they could begin again.

**Until Next Time**


	6. Chapter 5: Outcome Unknown

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

**Chapter Five:** _Outcome Unknown_

The tower had begun to fall only a few moments after Johnny had started his descent to the ground, the process seemingly moving slow to those that were watching the events unfold in front of them. Many were weeping when they saw him begin to fall from the tower, struggling to come to terms with his apparent death. Who would want to kill the most powerful man in Gaia and leave his son behind, abandoned and afraid? Even those that had the idea in mind, never would be able to carry it out, for fear of their own lives and for lack of courage to do so.

Sobs soon turned to screams shortly after the shot had been heard, as the first pieces of the tower fell down upon those that were standing there, waiting for the last glimpse of their fallen hero. Those that were on the island, scrambled for the port or even into the sea, or got as far away from the presumed path to escape any fatal harm. The pieces fell from the heavens like heavy drops of rain, all eyes wide with horror and fear as the skyscraper began to tumble just as fast as it had been built only a few weeks before.

It had once been a monument of power, something to look at as a sign of what riches and greed could accomplish, so long as there was a drive behind it. It fed of Johnny's anger of loosing his son's memory, the ambition to regain what had been lost, the greed that steamed from something so innocent, and it also fed off of his rise back into power. It was his and his alone that he had created, and there was no one else that could take it away from him. Not even the one that had taken him viciously from the whole of Gaia, from his son that was now trapped and about to share the same fate as his father. Even in his death, this monument was his and there was nothing no one else could do about it.

This tower had been an accomplishment that he had taken pride in, something that he hadn't done since before Gino had been even a memory. All that looked upon the tower, saw what it stood for, why it was there, and what it represented. No one had to agree with what he was doing, and the means that he had gotten to where he was now, but there were those that still stood by his side, respected him, even adored him. Despite the terror that would shortly bring Gaia back to it's knees, there were still countless Gaians that would still stand by this man, regardless of what had happened in the past and what would happen in the future.

Even as Johnny fell towards the oceans depths, his fall would be out done by the same tower he had built. It would soon make it's way across not only Isle de Gambino, but half of Gaia as well, across the coast and into Durem itself. Only a few that was in the tower's path, actually had the time to get out of the way before it fell upon them like water drowning ants. The death toll would be even greater then that of Halloween, perhaps not as confined but just as chaotic and as horrible. It wasn't as bad as the news made it out to be, but it was still something to be reckoned with.

The splash of Johnny K Gambino's body upon the water as not as loud or as big as the one the tower would soon make, but it was memorable even more so. Perhaps because many thought it had ended an era of life that so many was accustomed to, or because it was a seed of destruction planted firmly in the ground. Had anyone seen this coming, they would have stopped it before anything had even started to take shape. Whatever it was, it left it's mark on the land for all to see.

Literally.

****

Clear across Gaia, in the same city in which the tower had it's eyes upon, everyone went about their business as usual. Pranks were done in a fashion that no one saw them coming until it was too late. Gaians were going in and out of shops as though the news of the falling tower and the shot of Gambino was old news. In fact, a good percentage of the Gaians in the city did not know that the tower had started to fall down, only knowing that the former most powerful man in Gaia had been shot and left it at that. Many were saddened by the news, some going on a shopping spree in hopes that this would ease the pain of his apparent passing. Perhaps it did in a sense that they weren't aware of quite yet, as they went along with their business as usual.

There were two, however, that were more worried about what they looked like then the rest of the population combined, as they stood in a room that overlooked the city and the tower loomed in the distance. They were facing each other, a glass of wine in their hands and smiles on their lips. They looked rather happy then sad, their faces looking as though they could have Christmas every day for the rest of their lives. No one would know why they seemed like nothing could stop them, now that there was no one else to share the limelight with them. Had anyone known what they were thinking, even the other sister, then they would have never guessed what made them seem oblivious to the pending danger.

Marie didn't seem so light and carefree as Anna did, as both women stood there in silence, having spent the last few days finding left over Eggs from the Easter Ball. They had found them everywhere, in shoe boxes, in pants pockets, even in their makeup bags. It had become annoying to find them everywhere when the event had been finished and done with several days before and both assumed that it was a prank done by the Easter Bunny's creator. Anna hadn't taken a liking to it, but Marie found it amusing to say the least, as the last of the Eggs had been rounded up and dumped somewhere for next year. It gave her something to think about other then the tower that hovered over Gaia.

"All it takes is a little cheap, plastic toy to gain favor with these Gaians," Marie muttered, taking one sip of her wine before frowning. It wasn't as good as the other wines they had in storage, but neither girl wanted to waste the rest. They would be saved for another time, another event.

"Hohohoho, oh sister," Anna laughed sourly, hardly even noticing the look in which Marie had given her. "Our recent Easter Event surely has taken the public eye away from Gambino."

That was one thing that Marie had to agree with her sister. It had taken some of the Gaian's interest from Gambino during Easter, but it hadn't been enough to sway everyone. She assumed that there were large groups of Gaians that had gone over to his side, for reasons she could only guess at. Most of those guesses were right and she ignored them as best as she could, concentrating on getting more gold from the signs that the two eventually stopped trying to sell at their front door. There was no need to go on, when they had exhausted every option they had in getting more people to buy their signs without having to go extreme measures to get them.

"Did he actually think that he could make a comeback with such an obnoxious...." Anna continued before stopping, her mouth hanging open with the words caught in her throat. At first, Marie didn't know why her sister had stopped, before she too felt everything stop in time. There was no soft breeze coming from the open window, no noises coming from the streets, nothing that indicated that it was the same day, the same flow of time.

Both women turned to see what looked like a tower falling down towards them, their wine glasses dropping from their hands as they grabbed for each other desperately as though that would help them. The glasses shattered at their feet as they held onto to each other, their eyes going wide as they saw what was about to hit their mansion and them. There was no time to react, no time to get out of the way, no time to do anything but think any last thoughts to each other and to the people that they would soon see on the other side of the world they were in. They knew that it would be the end for them, as they held each other tight and braced for impact.

"...Skyscraper!?" Was the last thing the two screamed together, as the tower cashed down upon their mansion and tore the city of Durem in two.

****

For the first time in her long career on camera, perhaps not for the last time, Cindy Donovinh had nothing remotely to say for ten minutes as she watched the last bits of the tower fall down to the ground. Even from her vantage point, she could barely make out people running through the dust as they moved from Isle de Gambino towards the Barton Coast, trying to locate anything that moved or had been crushed by the weight of the tower. There were many survivors, more then what all had originally thought, but it was something at least.

She couldn't put any string of words together, looking down at the wreckage as she opened and closed her mouth several times. She couldn't believe the tower had fallen like that, without warning, without anything making it fall. It had just happened, like it had been connected to Johnny Gambino in a way. That was the only logical explanation she could to answer any questions on how it had fallen and why it had. Had this been any other time in which tragedy struck Gaia by someone's hand, she would have put the blame upon that person solely. But, this time, there was no anger directed towards him, so very unlike Halloween. No, she just felt a twinge of sadness mixed in with the feelings of what had just happened.

"Oh my gosh. This is unbelievable," Cindy whispered, finally able to put words through her lips. She turned her head towards the cameraman, who kept the camera turned towards the wreckage as the helicopter sped along the areas that had been affected by the collapsed tower. For once, she did not expect the camera to be on her as she spoke, instead keeping it's eye upon what was below. That would give more of an effect of what kind of destruction the tower had left behind.

"You're telling me," The pilot muttered, barely auditable over the helicopter's blades and the sound of wind rushing over the open doorway as he steadied the helicopter. The cameraman panned over to Cindy, who was not looking her best, not even smiling when the camera was on her. She had her head slightly tilted to the side, her eyes looking deep into the camera, and her face slightly turned so that it looked like she was halfway facing the camera and halfway facing the ground below. With the way her hair was moving from the wind and her face was not as happy as her viewers usually saw her, she appeared lost and confused about the ordeal.

"Amongst the massive scene of destruction, Gaia 9 Action News will do our best to find out what has happened to Gaia's most powerful individuals. Until then, this is Cindy Donovinh, signing off."

****

It was a sight of panic in the streets of Durem, as Gaians scrambled around the areas where there was no destruction, wondering if their friends and family had been in the places where the tower had fallen. They huddled together to make sense of it, while others went and tried to help those that were injured or dazed from the debris. No one knew what was going on, except that they couldn't worry about their own lives at the moment. There were others that needed more help then they did currently.

Edmund was one of the few that was out in the dust, trying to locate anyone that needed just a bit of help or perhaps more. There were already a few surviving souls in his shop, a group of four that had been shopping under his watchful eye and Vanessa. She had ran into his shop only minutes after the tower had crashed down, several cuts on her hands from where she had several cuts on her hands from scissors when she had heard the crashing of metal and glass. There were a few scrapes along her legs from where she had robbed against sharp metal while she blindly came towards Edmund's shop, yet nothing serious that required medical attention.

She had been shaken up by the whole ordeal, from what little she knew of the events that had played out. He couldn't blame her, as he tried to comfort her as she shook in his arms. That was all he could do at the moment without saying anything that would indicate anything more was wrong. There was something else that was wrong, but he wasn't about to say anything. Not when there were four others in the room that could overhear any words that he might say and start spreading false rumors of what had happened to the tower and those that had lived inside of it.

The four Gaians with her, were just recovering from the shock of what had happened, nothing more, nothing less. They, like Edmund, were lucky that nothing had crashed through the roof and hurt them any more then they were shaken up. He had taken special care to the shop so, if anything had happened that would cause a panic, he would be safe for the time being and anyone else that wanted to stay inside the shop with him. Many had called him crazy, but now they were silent with what had just happened.

He had left the five alone with careful instructions not to leave the store regardless of what would happen. It was one of the safest places in the city at the moment, so said him. They agreed reluctantly and Edmund left without much word on where was going and what he was going to do. He didn't even know himself, as he slowly walked blindly in the streets, looking for anything that was out of place other the obvious. There were no bodies laying on the ground that he saw and that was a good sign. For now, at least.

"Edmund?" A voice coughed from across the street. He stopped at the sound of the voice, turning in it's general direction to see who it was. There was a familiarity to it, the voice, yet he couldn't be sure until he asked who it was.

"Moria? Is that you?" Edmund asked as he squinted in the dust. He couldn't make out her full features, but he knew the outline of her body and her hair from anywhere. When he heard her breathe through the dust and cough, he let himself breathe a sigh of relief.

"No, it's Santa," Moria's voice snapped, her eyes rolling despite the fact that the other couldn't very well see her do that. "Of course it's me. Where the hell are you?"

"Don't get smart with me," He grumbled, trying to sound as uptight as he could with her. There wasn't any sternness in his voice, just relief to know that there was another person alive, despite the destruction that was around them. The sound of something crashing somewhere else in the city made both of them jump and the reality that they need not stay where they were at the present moment.

Regardless if Moria protested or not to coming with him, Edmund took several steps forwards and grabbed Moria's wrist and pulled her towards him. He wasn't about to listen to her grumble about anything at the moment, which exactly was what he had expected her to do as he walked quickly towards his own shop. There wasn't a peep from her as he kept his eye on his surroundings, or what he could see of them, walking around fallen debris and finally squeezing through some of the bigger chunks to get to the entrance of his shop. By then, he was more then covered in a thin layer of dust and looked like he had attempted his own journey through dirt.

A cloud of dust came into the shop, as Edmund pushed Moria inside and closed the door behind him. Inside, Vanessa was near the counter, already cleaned her arms and face as best as she could with a yellow towel that looked like it had been run through the mud. There were four Gaians standing not far from where she was standing, looking at Edmund with curious eyes as to what was going on outside as he and Moria took several steps inside and turned to the doors.

"What happened? I know something did, I heard it on the TV before it went out, but I didn't catch the last part of it before everything happened, and I came running over her," Vanessa said as several figures ran past the doors of the store, not even pausing to see if anyone was alright inside.

"The tower fell, V. It's gone," Edmund said after a few moments of silence, looking over his shoulder at her. "He is too. They both are. All of them are."

There was sadness in his voice that only Moria and Vanessa picked up, their eyes going wide as they stared at him, unable to say anything at the moment. The other Gaians looked at each other, the realization of what had happened sinking into their minds. They knew that Johnny had been shot, but they had not realized that the tower had fallen just like he had done. It was gone, just like that. The power that had made it become what it was, had toppled it just like the person who had shot him had killed the man that had held so much in his hands.

It was only when Moria gasped, did the attention shift from the outside realm to her. Her right hand had moved to her mouth, her face draining of any and all color that had not been covered by the dust. No one knew what was wrong with her, perhaps the effect of the devastation finally hitting her. It wasn't until she spoke did they realize what made her look like she about to faint.

"Sasha! I've got to get to the island!" She cried, pushing past Edmund to get to the doorway. Before she could even put her hand upon the knob, a arm grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back into the store. "Edmund, let me go! I've got to get there! I've got to see if she is alright! She is my friend!"

"No, you are not going anywhere. We are all staying here, at least until the dust clears some," Edmund said in a calm voice, loosing his grip around Moria's waist slightly. A silent sob came from her, her shoulders slumping as she looked out into the dust outside, wanting nothing more to go outside and find her friends. "We don't know if there is anything that would fall from what is left of the tower."

"Gambino did it again," A voice muttered from where the four Gaians were standing. All three shopkeepers turned around towards them, seeing a young man standing a few feet away from the others, his blue eyes narrowed from overtop his sunglasses that were cracked and arms crossed over his bare chest. There was nothing on his face to indicate what he was feeling at the moment, his eyes staring coldly at the three of them as they stared right back. "Would have expected it, with that pathetic excuse for a tower. If he didn't die from it, then I'll find a way to do it myself."

"Why don't we put this one out in the dust, to make sure that it is safe?" Vanessa growled, glaring at him. Although she did not care much for Johnny Gambino in the past, or even in the present terms, the last thing she would want to do was to insult the man's memory. He had died without cause and without reason, despite what others would have said about him.

"It's true," He said, shrugging. "A lot of Gaians will share the same mindset."

"Not as many as you think there are. Not since the Anniversary Ball. A lot of minds were changed then," Edmund said with a frown. Mine included. If I hadn't seen what had happened then, I wouldn't have believed it, he added to himself. His eyes narrowed at the Gaian as he started to inch his way towards the door. "And don't you dare leave this store unless I say so. We don't know what happened out there."

"Whatever you say, sir," The Gaian said with a roll of his eyes. He made his way towards the door, going far enough away from Edmund to keep his distance away from him. Even with his lack of respect towards Edmund, there was a certain fear in him that made him wonder if the man could get to him from where he was standing. "You coming or what? There's no reason to stay inside here."

One of the other Gaians, a girl about the same age as the one standing by the door, shook her head swiftly. "There is no way I am going out there just yet. Too dangerous right now. I like my life the way it is, thank you."

The remaining two Gaians that stood by her nodded their heads in agreement, huddling closer to their friend as they watched him with long, drawn faces. The male Gaian snorted, rolling his eyes for a second time as he uncrossed his arms and exited the shop without anyone trying to stop him. Edmund didn't bother trying to go after him, knowing that he couldn't make that one person stay inside, nor the others that were in his shop with him. He glanced over at Vanessa, who looked tired and worn from this even though it had happened only a half hour before. She smiled back at him, looking almost motherly to Moria.

"I don't like this. I want to know what happened to Sasha," Moria choked, resting her head upon Edmund's chest as a sob escaped her lips. Edmund wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight.

"I don't either, but there is nothing we can do at this moment but wait," He said softly, Vanessa walking to his side. They smiled at each other again, before their eyes turned towards the outside world.

"We just have to hope for the best," Vanessa said in a low voice, biting her lower lip as she did. That was all that they could do without wondering what had happened to everyone else in Gaia or if there were any more deaths then what they knew of. If there were, then there would be even more graves to dig then the ones that had been made for those in the past.

If not, then there was a lot of explaining that needed to be done to those that had survived.

****

It was a horrible sight to see when one first looked upon it with innocent eyes. The glass windows had shook violently enough to the point that many panes had to be replaced, dirt and dust was everywhere possible, and the mess left behind was unimaginable. Almost everything had fallen off their shelves and into the floor, which created an even bigger mess to begin with. It wouldn't be an easy chore to clean up the store to what it had been before the tower had fallen, but it would be a manageable operation to say the least.

The feat of cleaning up the store wasn't exactly the first thing on Ruby's mind, as she took the first few steps out of the back storage room with Peyo in tow. His eyes were wide at the damage that was around him, his mother's face pale from the destruction one tower had caused. It was horrible to look at without knowing what exactly happened, with the dust coming into the store and a portion of it damaged that required more then just a bit of hammering. It was surprising that the roof hadn't collapsed down upon them, or suffered any more damage then it had.

Ruby pulled Peyo closer to her, keeping him from exploring any place that could remotely harm him. Just the image of her shop was enough to make her worry about any possible danger laying around, so she couldn't imagine what the rest of the island was like or even the rest of Gaia. She knew what happened, she had heard the shot like everyone else, but had never thought anything else would happen after that. It was more of a shock then anything else that would take place, even with the looming threat that once had been there. Anything else that would happen on this day, would only add to the danger that was already there.

"Mommy, what happened?" Peyo asked, trembling. Ruby opened her mouth to answer him, yet there were no words to tell him exactly what was going on. Although still young, he could see what had happened on the outside without asking simple questions about it. There would be little she could tell him at this point, regardless of what horrors lay just beyond the shattered glass.

"I don't know, honey," She whispered as soon as she found the voice to speak. She knew only what she had heard on the radio before it had fizzled out completely. Both mother and son had been in the back storage room at the time the tower had collapsed, not even knowing that anything else was wrong until the loud crashing came overtop the store. It had scared both so much that they had stayed where they were for the longest time in fear that they would be caught in something else.

Now they stood in the mess of a shop, wondering if anyone would enter the shop to see if they were okay. Sure enough, right before Ruby was about to lead Peyo to the doorway, the door opened quickly and a familiar figure burst in through the door. She was covered from head to toe in a mist of dust, her hair slightly messed, and her clothing dirty. It was as though something had splattered all over her and was still hanging in the air for all to catch.

"Sasha? You okay?" Ruby asked as the door slammed shut behind her and any remaining glass fell from the doorway. The woman brushed off the dust from her arms and looked up, ignoring the shattering glass only inches behind her. Sasha smiled lopsided, indicating that she was alright and not harmed by anything that had fallen. There was redness around her eyes, from the dust that had gotten into her eyes or from something else entirely, but that was all that seemed to be wrong with her at the moment. "What happened?"

"The tower fell, Ruby," Sasha answered as she wiped any remaining dust from her face. Ruby stared at her for a few moments, her mouth hanging open in surprise, not that she knew Sasha was okay, but at the words she had spoken. So that was why everything is a mess, she thought to herself, her worst fear being confirmed by those three words.

"Come on, then. We're going to the Bank as fast as we can. There is no telling what might fall next," Ruby said, picking up Peyo and heading for the door. The glass that had been in it was shattered, so it was easy enough to get through without hitting any shards of glass that was still upon it. It was much easier to go through then to have to open the door and shatter what was left on it.

It didn't matter how they got out of the shop, as they carefully stepped outside and looked around to see if there was anything that was blocking their way to the Bank. Other then the debris that was laying on the ground, and guards from Barton going around to see what they could do to help anyone, there was nothing there that showed any signs that they couldn't get to the Bank safely. They hurriedly scrambled over the destruction that had been caused by the fallen tower, towards the Bank without any trouble from anyone telling them to get into boats to go to the port. In fact, there was no one that even tried to block them from going anywhere else, as they headed straight for the Bank.

Meredith, having looked out the window of the Bank, saw the three coming towards her and had the door opened for them as they walked in swiftly. The door closed and locked behind them, as all three looked around to those that were standing inside, huddled together in packs. There were many Gaians that were covered in dust and looking as though they had not taken showers in days, looking even more fearful as they mumbled to themselves. Many had cuts and bruises on them from things that had fallen from the sky or they had accidentally bumped into, none of which were life-threatening nor needed immediate medical attention. That gave Ruby a sense of comfort, from what little she had seen from her own shop.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked in a loud voice so everyone in the Bank could hear her. There were a mumbles of 'yes, ma'am' and a nod of the head from those that did not wish to speak, as everyone answered her as best as they could without breaking down. Some do, in fact, break into tears, comforted by the Gaians that they were standing beside. Peyo, not for the first time since the tower had fallen, buried his head in his mother's shoulder to weep himself. There was little Ruby could do to comfort him, already tried everything that she could.

"Sasha, take Peyo for a moment. I need to ask Ruby the same questions I asked you," Meredith asked in a low voice. Ruby, looking surprised, glanced over at Sasha as she held her arms out to take the boy.

"Yes, I was. Meredith was worried about you, so I went out there to see if you were alright," Sasha answered as Peyo was handed over to her without word. The boy sobbed harder, not whishing to be apart from his mother but content enough to be in a familiar person's arms. "She wouldn't let me leave the island. I want to know if Moria is okay."

Sasha's eyes darted away, looking scared for her friend. Ruby smiled gently at her, squeezing her shoulder to show that it was alright. She, too, thought of how Moria, Edmund, and Vanessa were doing in the city and if they were alright, but there was nothing she could do to help them at the moment. The only thing she could do was to hope that they were alright and had not been harmed by anything that had fallen from the tower.

"She's fine, I'm sure of it. She's got Edmund and Vanessa in the city with her," She said softly, hoping that was enough to calm Sasha's nerves. She did not answer right away, keeping her gaze down as Meredith and Ruby went into a corner away from the Gaians, Peyo, and Sasha. Meredith kept an eye on any wayward Gaians that might pick up any part of the conversation, keeping her voice low so that they wouldn't be any more alarmed then they already were.

"Have you seen Johnny's body come onto the shore? Or Gino's?" Meredith asked as soon as she was satisfied that no one else in the Bank was listening to the conversation. Ruby stared at Meredith for a moment, in shock of having just been asked a odd question. The tower hadn't even fallen an hour or so before and someone that she knew was asking if the bodies of two of the most powerful people had been washed up upon the shore. She glanced over at the Gaians just like Meredith had, then returned her eyes back to her.

"No, I haven't. I don't think I want to, either. I just don't want to see that." She eyed Meredith, wondering exactly why she had asked the question. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because, I want to know if they are okay, that's all," Meredith answered softly. "If they both can survive the mansion blowing up on Halloween, they can survive this."

"I don't know," Ruby said, looking as though she wanted to cry. "If Johnny hadn't been killed by the shot we heard, then he surely could by the fall. It's was a tall tower after all.

"Why, then, did the tower fall?" Meredith pressed on. "If was built by Aekean builders, like some claim that it was, and they are the best in Gaia, if not the whole world, then it would have stayed up. Why wouldn't it hold?"

Ruby stared at Meredith for a moment, trying to find the best answer to the question without putting any suspicion upon her. At the moment, there was nothing that confirmed what she thought about anyone firing the supposedly fatal shot to Johnny or that anyone else had anything to do with the cause of the tower's collapse. Until there was proof that someone had actually shot Johnny, as anything shot that far away couldn't have possibly gotten that far, or the actual cause of the now fallen tower's demise, she wasn't about to put any blame upon anyone else.

Then there was the fact that the tower had come from somewhere in Aekea, if it came from there at all. No one knew if that was true or not, but all fingers pointed in the general direction. She knew that just about everything that came from Aekea, from simple kitchen supplies to buildings the size of the tower, would hold for a very long time, not only for a few weeks or days. Even if it was faulty, there would have been some indication before hand that something was wrong somewhere with the building.

"The tower was built in only a few days," Ruby said slowly after a few moments of silence. "I don't know anyone that could make something sturdy and fail-proof in a few days, no matter how many people are working on it and how much it costs. High cost doesn't always mean quality."

"That's what Sasha said," Meredith said with a nod. "Not the same words, but the general gist of it."

"But," Ruby said softly, giving the Gaian's a quick look to see if they were listening before continuing on, "even a few days shouldn't have made a difference. I doubt that Johnny, no matter what state of mind he was in, wouldn't have put Gino in any danger like that. If it wasn't safe to be on or in, then he wouldn't have put Gino in that danger. I doubt he was going to be shot and the tower to fall after him."

"The tower was too big and too tall to be standing for a long period of time, no matter who built it," She replied sourly. Ruby had to agree on that, nodding slightly. "Why would he want to build a tower like that?"

"That's the question everyone wants to know, Meredith. I don't know why he would want to, other then to house G-Corp or any other damnable creation he had before," Ruby said with a shrug. "I don't think he realized the mistake he would have made again, if the tower hadn't fallen. Other then that, I don't know why he did what he did."

The two women looked at each other for a moment, not knowing what to say at this point. It was apparent that Meredith wanted to ask more questions to get Ruby's answers on them, but with the mix of Gaians standing there, and Peyo's crying, they weren't going to be asked on this day. Not when there would be those that were listening, who could spread rumors around faster then the facts could. That was why Meredith walked away from their spot, to check on the Gaians that had the most injuries, giving Ruby a look that meant they would talk later and Ruby nodded in response.

The looks on their faces was enough for now of them to stay quiet for the moment. At least until they could speak without being overheard by any ears that didn't need to know more then they should.

****

The Barton Coast. A stretch of beach and shoreline that many went to get away from everyday life but still could enjoy the warmth and serenity of the beach without having to go to the island. Many knew of the existence of this stretch of land, but did not go to it as it was not along their way between towns and cities. Those that did not come to the shore, were content enough to at least know it existed for when they truly wanted to be alone for a few moments out of their day. Other then the few wandering souls that often came upon the sand, there was no one else.

There were no strolls on this stretch of land this day, as the destruction of the tower had left everyone struggling to cope with the reality of what happened. There were, however, a few Gaians on this beach, climbing over the wreckage of what once had been the Tower of Gambino, the dust of the destruction already cleared up faster then that of Durem and the island. It was a large place that wasn't overcrowded with anything, so the dust could easily lift faster then the other places in which the tower had landed. It wasn't safe to be around the rubble, but these Gaians had to find out what had happened to two of their beloved idols.

And they soon would find out, as something crawled weakly out of the water that lapped against the shore. It was a young man, his breath shallow and body weak from the events that had unfolded not too long ago. He was surprised himself that he had been able to survive a fall from such a high place and to be able to swim such a long distance away. It had taken him this long to get this distance from where he had fallen into the ocean, glad enough that the force in which he had fallen into the water had not killed him instantly. He knew he had several broken bones, more bruises then he could count, and perhaps a serious injury that he hoped wouldn't kill him.

It was here at the edge of water and land did he finally fall, rolling over onto his back as he breathed in the fresh air rather painfully. He wanted to loose all feeling in his body, even for just a few moments, so that he could rest and hope that everything was just a nightmare that he wanted to get out of. Staring up at the sky above him, he wanted to smile at the fact that he had survived this far, but there was nothing that he could smile about. Nothing that could make him happy at this moment, not with the pain that he felt in his heart. He had survived, but what about the one person that he cared about the most?

"Look, over there!" He heard someone shout, as he closed his eyes. There were people coming towards him, he knew of that, but whether or not they could reach him in time was something that he did not, as the pain overcame him and he passed out.

**Until Next Time**


	7. Chapter 6: Aftermath

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three: **_Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Chapter Six: _Aftermath_

It had been one week since the tower had collapsed and most of the dust had cleared from the areas where it had landed. Only then did the citizens of Gaia could see how much damage there had been caused by one single event. Somehow, the debris had snaked it's way around Isle de Gambino all the way to Durem, hitting mostly the streets and places that few people were when it fell. There was still a lot of damage done by metal that had gone off course, mostly in Durem, but it wasn't so much as the average Gaian thought there would be.

The death toll, surprisingly, hadn't reached over five hundred, which some compared to last Halloween's events. Many Gaians had though that more lives had been lost, with how far the tower had reached and the amount of rubble there was left over, but they were proven wrong again. These lives that had been lost, were those that could not get out of the way in time even though they saw the monstrous creation falling down, or had no idea that the tower has about to fall down on top of them until it was too late.

Only a few survived the direct path of the tower's crushing force, mostly those that came from Durem. The very top of the tower had come down right upon where the Von Helson mansion once stood, now there was another mansion upon what used to be. All were surprised to see it to be that of the mansion that had been on top of the tower, whereas the tower held another surprise as well. The old Gambino mansion, the same one that had been demolished by the missile on Halloween, was now standing where it once had been. No one knew that it had been there until the dust had finally cleared from the island and it was more then just a surprise to them. Many wanted to know if Johnny was inside that same mansion, recovering from his injuries or even buried somewhere inside of it, but no one was allowed to even go inside there. Not with so many guards standing watch over it, to make sure no one went inside or even came out.

The fate of Marie and Anna Von Helson remained a mystery for a few days more, until the body of Anna was found underneath the rubble that had once been her mansion. Her body was as lifeless as the mess that she had been under, almost every bone in her body broken and no signs of being able to revive her. It was a horrible sight to see her in, so bad that those that found her had to place her in several sheets just to keep her body from being seen by the public. Her death reached all ears, even those that did not support the sisters. It was a sad day indeed, no matter who supported who or did not support either side.

Marie, on the other hand, had been found only hours after the tower had collapsed and was thought, at first, to share the same fate as her sister would. Her body had not been as crushed as bad as Anna's, most of which was fixed in surgery as soon as she had been stable enough to do so. Both legs had been crushed to the point that it was thought she would never walk away, one arm broken in ten different spots, and her jaw cracked and broken in five. It was surprising that she received little internal bleeding from how much rubble she had been under and the force of the tower's fall and that she was able to survive it at all.

No one knew that she had survived until Anna's body had been discovered, even then it was a rumor that went around the whole of Gaia that the other sister had cheated death. Many thought that it was near-impossible for anyone to survive a tower crash then have a mansion crush the same one that they had been living in. The doctors that were caring for Marie confirmed that she was, in fact, alive, but still in critical care and no where near ready for anyone to visit her. They had given the Von Helson supporters the opportunity to leave things, like messages or flowers, for her in the lobby of the hospital for staff to send them up to her room, but that was as close as anyone would get to her before she got any better.

While Marie Von Helson remained in a coma since she had been found, another life had been spared by the direct fall of the tower. Gino Gambino, unconscious for the first several days of being found himself on the shores of Barton Coast, had awoken to beeping machines, oxygen feeding forcibly down his throat by a tube, and white walls of the hospital that held nothing of comfort for him. He had wanted to sit up, to know where he was, to be able to talk without the tube in his throat, but had been placed back down by a familiar face. Ruby had pushed him back down on his back, telling him that he had to stay still, and that he couldn't move until the doctors were sure there was no injuries that would harm him more then they already had. Other then a broken leg, a collapsed lung that had already been repaired, and countless bruising, he was fine and fit.

There were too many questions that he needed to know then, too many things that weren't right, too many horrible memories that he wished would just go away. With him being in the hospital, with the memories of his past still visible, he needed someone there that could help him cope with everything that had happened. He couldn't ask Ruby about them, even with the oxygen tube now removed after a week of it being down his throat, since she wouldn't know more then he did. Not even the ones that came to see him, from Logan to Moria to Ian, could explain anything to him. There was no comfort in their words, no solace in the fact that they, too, looked as though someone had been ripped from their lives, just like he had.

Now, with almost all restraints lifted off of him except for one IV that went into his hand, he was able to get up and walk around as best as he could with a broken leg and a machine that put medicine directly into his blood stream. It had taken him ten minutes to get from his bed over to the window that overlooked the fields just outside the city. He couldn't stand for very long at the moment, a chair allowing him to gaze out into the outside world beyond his hospital room and a chance to be alone.

There was so much that he wanted to do, wanted to see now that he remembered everything, yet could bring himself to even think of trying to do that. He had lost his father, no matter how much anger there was for him leaving him once again or for the things that he remembered. There was more sadness in him then anger, something that he could never imagine achieving for anyone else. His father had been the only one that he knew, yet could never get close to without seeing the pain in his eyes. The same pain that his son now felt at the loss of someone that he wished was with him now.

"Gino?" A voice asked from the doorway of his room. Gino didn't move from the chair, his eyes continually staring out of the window with no intention of seeing who was slowly walking towards him. He had seen too many people come and go that they had all become blurred, coming together like one big puddle of mud after a rainstorm. Yet, somehow, he knew who it was that now stood by his side, a hand placed upon his shoulder as he stared blankly out into the wilderness that was beyond the civilization of Gaia.

"Hello, Edmund," Gino said blandly, blinking his eyes once but not moving them from the window. "How is Marie doing?"

"Ah, so you heard about her," Edmund said, taking his hand off the boy's shoulder. He wasn't surprised, with everyone in the hospital talking about how they had two of the most powerful people in their own hospital.

"Of course I did," He answered quietly, his eyes moving to his hands that laid in his lap. "I've known for a few days now, since the doctors started to talk about her without realizing that I was awake from a nap. That's all I heard."

"In that case, she is doing fine, last time I checked with one of her doctors," Edmund said with a smile and a quick nod. "She is doing much better then when she was found over a week ago."

"That's good," Gino said softly, his left eye twitching slightly. It wasn't because he was irritated or even angry, but because he was trying to keep his emotions in place so he wouldn't break down in front of anyone. Not even the doctors saw a tear come out of him since he had arrived.

"How are you doing?" Edmund asked, kneeling down beside the chair. "I know you get that question a lot, but I need to ask it just so I know for myself. Not anyone else."

"How do you think I'm doing?" Gino glared at him with all the strength he could put into a glare without a blurry mist of tears forming at his eyes. "I lost my father right after I remembered him, I'm in the hospital for broken bones and things I couldn't even begin to understand, and half of Gaia is in a state of panic because of my father. How would you be?"

Edmund had to be honest with himself: he hadn't expected to hear any anger in Gino's voice or see it flash in his eyes. He knew where the anger steamed from and didn't blame him for feeling like he had been abandoned again. He had seen too many times where Gino had been left behind because Johnny had other things to do, other things that didn't involve his son being there. Those times, he had never once cried out for the injustice of not having a father that was always around, instead going about his life without even knowing once why it was happening to him. If only he had his memories during the last few months, then he could have fully appreciated the things Johnny did for him more then he does now, Edmund thought.

"Your father didn't cause the tower to fall, Gino. Whoever built the tower and the one that shot him, did," He explained. It wasn't actual truth, as whatever emotions Johnny had felt during the building of the tower, had feed right into it. To ease the boy's mind, all fault from his father would have to be washed away. "It wasn't built right to begin with. It should have been done better then it had been."

"It should have never been built," Gino muttered bitterly, turning his head fully to Edmund. There now was a desperation on it, almost to a point where it looked like his eyes were pleading with him. That scared Edmund, scared him to the point where he felt his stomach drop, as though he knew what he was going to ask. "Where is he? Where is my father?"

That was a question he had dreaded answering, more so to the son that had lost his father then to the rest of Gaia. There were no words that he could form which could give the truth to him, to a person that gave him the desperate look of longing. If he couldn't answer to the citizen's of Gaia, then how could he answer to Gino? Edmund couldn't, not when there was no information to go on or anything else besides rumors.

His eyes moved away, down to the floor where he attempted to look as though he was studying something rather then not being able to answer. In reality, he was trying not to look Gino in the eye, trying not to show that he couldn't answer as truthfully as he wanted to. The look on his face, the look that wanted to know everything, was something Edmund couldn't stand. Not when it tugged at his chest and made him feel like he was useless; it made him feel worse then he already did.

"I don't know where your father is, Gino," Edmund answered after the silence had become too much for him not to answer. "I wish I knew, but I don't."

He had expected Gino to ask him again, demanding that he tell him the truth. There was truth in his words, more then if he had lied to him right at that moment. Edmund couldn't, not with the look that was on face or the fact that he didn't know himself, like the rest of Gaia. Johnny Gambino still remained the only person in the tragedy that hadn't been found yet, one that many people in Gaia wanted to be found alive if possible. Had this been after Halloween, but before Christmas and the Anniversary Ball, then the reaction of all the citizens would have been different.

"But, you're his friend! You've know him longer then....then...." Gino burst out, before it became too much for him to continue. Edmund looked up at him just as he dissolved into tears, everything that he had been holding in finally breaking free. The anger that had been on his face, the determination to know answers that he had to be told, was gone, replaced by tears and a pain that went beyond a physical sense. Gino looked torn between keeping himself composed and letting out all the pain that had wanted to break free, something his father had done when there were eyes watching him but as soon as he was alone, he had broken down.

Edmund pulled Gino close to him and wrapped his arms around him in a attempt to comfort him. There wasn't much that he could do, but it was a small thing that he could to. Keep the boy close to him and to let him know that there was someone that could offer a shoulder for him to cry on, even if that shoulder felt the same pain that he did. He let his own tears fall down his cheeks, feeling Gino's body move with every sob that he took in. That was all he needed, was to let everything out, to know that it was okay to cry and to show that he, too, was as human as the next Gaian.

"If I knew, Gino, you would be the first to know. I promise you that," Edmund whispered softly before pushing Gino away. He kept his hands on the boy's shoulders, looking him squarely in the tear-stained face that looked so worn and tired. "Your father had his faults, neither one of us can deny that, but he loved you. More then you know he did. You were the only thing that kept him sane all these years."

Gino looked away from Edmund as he wiped the tears from his face. "Then what made him snap, if he was as sane as you say he was?"

"When he couldn't find you after Halloween, when you came back without memories at Christmas, that devastated him completely. Something inside of him started to degrade, to a point that it started to make him move into a less sound mind." He sighed and shook his head. "He thought that the only way to regain your memories, was to get his riches back. In a way, it worked, but not like he wanted to. The instant rise back into power, doubled with your lost memories, was what made him go over the edge."

"Why didn't he show that he cared before I lost my memories?" Gino asked shakily. It took him a moment to steady his voice again, a deep breath calming any nerves that would break him down into tears once more. "Why couldn't he be the father I needed?"

"Your mother, Gino. You never knew her, and I know your father never talked about her," He said, smiling weakly. That was a touchy subject, Gino's mother. It had always been since she had died and Johnny hardly ever spoke about her, even to Edmund. "He saw too much of her in you as you grew, so he pushed you away because of it. All the while, he watched from a distance, still haunted by your mother's death but still caring of you."

"What was my mother like?" Gino asked, looking into Edmund's eyes. Both stared at each other for several moments, neither speaking as Edmund's face dropped. He paled slightly, his eyes turning away yet again to a question that needed an answer. This time, however, there were answers to be given, but they were answers that he, Edmund, could not give.

"I can't answer that. Only your father could. I'm sorry," Edmund said, standing up. He gave Gino's shoulder a squeeze, muttering a soft goodbye before heading for the door. There were no cries for him to come back, as he stopped at the door and looked over at him, a longing to go back and tell everything that he knew about Gino's parents to him. It was hard enough to know that he would never be with either one again, yet it was even harder to watch the same child of fallen parents to live through a tragedy that had taken one away.

Gino turned back to the window as he listened to Edmund's footsteps disappear out the door and down the hallway, seemingly content on being alone once again. He was glad for the conversation he had with Edmund, knowing only he had the answers he could trust and a calmness to him that Gino could rely on. Still, he missed his father and missed him terribly, no matter how much more pain the man had placed on him before he had lost his memories.

It was something, at least, to know that he had cared, even in death.

****

There were few places between the island and Barton that few Gaians could successfully hide in, or hadn't even explored to it's fullest. There were places where no one had bothered to look into, for there was nothing of interest to be found there. It was out of the way and out of reach by those that did not wish to look for trouble or had little adventure in them. These same, barely visited spots held more secrets then anyone knew. And one secret was about to found yet again.

The day was drawing to a close, as several Gaian's finished their last catches on Bass'ken Lake's waterfront and headed home for the night. They would take their prizes home with them, more then likely freeze the guppies for later meals or trade them for better fish. It was surprisingly quiet at the lake at this hour of the day, when there had always been many at the piers or at the edge of the water, doing their early evening fishing. Or had gone for a quick swim in the center, where they would cool off after wandering around the shops all day.

As they said their finally farewells to other fishers, they couldn't help but feel as though something was out of place. There was a light chill in the wind, a coldness that came from the direction of the island and went low. It was springtime and, yet, this night still felt as though there was still a chill of winter in the air. There were few clouds in the sky, very little gusts of strong wind that came from the north, but still was felt by those that were looking towards the port to catch any glimpses of what was coming from that direction. There was nothing and they dismissed it as a chilly spring night, going about their business as though nothing was strange.

Logan stared out of one of the fishing shop's windows that overlooked the lake, arms crossed over his chest and face set squarely ahead. He kept his line-of-sight on the middle of the lake, watching for something to stir at the surface. Only a few rainbow trout had jumped out of the water at noon that day, surprising the many that had been gathered there earlier in the day. He found no amusement in the surprised tales of fish flying and doing tricks in the air, not like he used to. Not like before, when there had been little to worry about.

It was true that he had been slightly affected to a degree with the recent events that had happened on the island and in the city, even if he didn't show it. He had always been good at giving the wrong impressions about what he thought of the rest of Gaia and what went on, but not to those that were always in his shop. They knew more about him then what Logan gave them credit for, perhaps they knew more then he thought they did. Yet, despite his solitude at the lake, he found that life slowly chipping away and a more complete life outside of it then he had in years.

He had even surprised himself when he had gone to Durem to check on Gino, because he was more worried about the boy then he let on. It had been at Agatha's request, really, to get him to the city with her again. The rare times that he had gone to the city, were when he needed to go there, not because he had nothing else better to do with his time. Any spare time away from the lake, was spent with Agatha, which gave him a smile more then it did to just sit by the lake. It was good, he told himself, to know that he could enjoy being in another's company like that again.

He couldn't admit he wasn't thrilled to see the boy looking healthier since the tower had fallen and he had been found along the Barton Coast, when he had gone to see him earlier in the week. At least, in a physical sense. Although few words had been exchanged between the two, partly because Gino couldn't even talk at the moment without looking like he was about to break down, Logan knew there was a deeper injury to Gino that no medical advancement could cure. He knew that look in his eyes, the eyes that looked out but still couldn't see. He also knew that himself, from more then a few past experiences.

Logan turned from the window as the last fisher wandered onto the path to Barton and headed home for the evening. It was still too early to close down the store, despite the urge to lock the door and head home himself, but it was still late enough to start the routine of cleaning. He uncrossed his arms from his chest, walking to the counter, eyes moving across the shelves of bait in a quick count of supplies that would need to be restocked in the morning. His routine of cleaning and straightening the store, however, was not able to get underway, as the door to the shop swung wide open and three bodies rushed in, in a clump that staggered in like a drunk party.

He turned to where the three Gaians had stopped inside, ready to tell them off for barging in like they had done. Instead, he just stared at him, mouth opened and gaze fixed solely on their pale faces and wide eyes. All three were breathing hard, looking as though they had run from the city all the way to the lake and as though they had seen something that was not of this world. If they had thought that the store closed earlier then it did, then they had no reason to hurry or to have come in a clamor like they had. If that wasn't the case, then he was about to find out.

"What's wrong?" Logan asked, looking from one Gaian to the next. He couldn't read their expressions, just that they were scared of something that had spooked them quite well.

"We....found...him," One panted as he gulped in deep breaths. "...by.....the port.....came out....of...nowhere..."

"Found who exactly?" He asked, perplexed as to who the Gaian was talking about.

"Gambino! We've found him!" The other two Gaian's snapped at the same time, their breath back quicker then their friend's was. That's when Logan felt as though his legs were about to give out on him, as he grasped the counter to keep him up. He didn't know why those words affected him like that, just that it felt as though something had punched him in the stomach. Bu the way the three were acting, all scared like, they looked more like they had found something far worse then a another body. He couldn't be sure it was the truth, until he saw proof for himself.

"Where is his body?" Logan managed to spit out. "Still there?"

"Of course it is. He wanted to leave, but we wouldn't let him. Another one of our friends is with him, just to keep him there," The first Gaian said impatiently, having finally caught his breath. "We're serious. You're the closest to the port without having to go by boat to the island, so we thought to get your help first."

Whether or not Logan truly believed them was a different matter, as he looked from one face to the other then the next. It would be safe, for the moment at least, to leave the store, locked of course, and see if it was true or not. If it wasn't, then it wouldn't be the first time he had been made a fool. If it was true, then there would be a lot of explaining to do.

And not just from the one that was supposed to be dead.

****

Sleep wasn't something that had come easy to the land of Gaia, not even to those that had no direct connection with the tower's collapse or anyone that had been injured or killed in the tower's direct line of sight. There was a general uneasiness that went across the land, as though something else had fallen upon the land and was affecting everyone once again.

Gino felt that same uneasiness as he laid on his right side, unable to find comfort in sleep. He had managed to get a few hours of sleep since the last visitor of the day had come in, but found that sleep to be lacking in the dreams that he had always been able to loose himself in. Perhaps it was because he would only be in the hospital for a few days more, returning to one of the two mansions that was left to him, or that he would be returning to an empty home. There was no one there, other then the maids and cooks that served under his father, to greet him and console him when he needed that comfort the most.

He dreaded having to face the public, when there was already an outcry for blood to begin with. It had come from the rabid supporters of the Von Helsons, who wanted any remaining blood of Johnny's to be spilt on the same hallow ground in which their beloved Anna Von Helson had perished. Those that still supported the remaining sister, those that did not share the same cold-blooded thoughts, had little bad things to say to the boy, despite who his father had been. Although there was still some bad blood between the two sides, they seemed to be coping together with the same tragedy that had hit them all.

Gino did not want to listen to either side bicker about who started what, or any of the soft stepping everyone seemed to be doing around him. No one gave him straight answers, or the answers that he wanted so much. He now had enough of trying to get things out of people, going into a state where he did not want to ask question nor answer the questions that he did not wish to answer. He had enough of everyone trying to look to him as though he was a saint and could put everything back together again. He didn't know what the public expected him to do, but he was not going to be their public servant. Not now, when there was too much grief and too many unanswered questions. When the time came to take his father's place, he would do so with the obligation that he would not be in the spot light for long.

Just as he closed his eyes to attempt sleep once again, two pairs of footsteps walked quickly into the room, two low voices muttering things to each other. One was a female, the other male, that much he could determine by their soft whispering at first. He couldn't understand what either one was saying until the man started to raise his voice and the words 'unbelievable' and 'how could it have happened' were the only ones that really stuck in his mind at the moment. The woman, who had attempted to keep her voice as low as possible, was trying to silence the man and was most likely trying to see if the boy was still awake. He assumed that these two were a doctor and a nurse, and were talking about him or someone else.

"Should we wake him? I mean, after all, it is his...." What he thought was the doctor stammer out louder then he had before, before becoming silent like the nurse had successfully silenced him. Gino opened his eyes slightly, to see who was in the room with him without alerting either person that he was actually awake. He saw, standing at the edge of his bed, two people, one dressed in a doctor's coat and the other in a nurse's uniform. They both were looking nervous and scared, without even knowing that the boy was awake.

"No, let him sleep. He'll be told in the morning," The nurse said in a nervous whisper. He hadn't heard what the two had been saying at first, as he slowly sat up, attempting to look as though he had just been awoken from a deep sleep. It would give them the impression that the nurse and doctor had awoken him by their voices alone.

"Tell me what in the morning?" Gino asked, rubbing his eyes some. The light in the room was still dim, but bright enough that it did hurt his eyes to see. Both doctor and nurse jumped, turning from their positions that had faced each other, and stared directly at him. There was a certain surprise on their faces that indicated they had not expected him to be awake at this hour. There were several nervous glances to each other, drawn-out pauses in which made him wonder what they had been talking about before. It took them several minutes to look down upon him again, but with more of an uneasiness then before.

"It's nothing. Go back to sleep," The nurse said in a calm and quiet voice that reminded Gino of one of his former nanny's. There was a flash of anger that went across his face, something that shone on their faces.

"What is it that you don't want me to know?" Gino asked, this time with a hint of impatience in his voice. He was tired of people stepping lightly around him for the last week; even Edmund had seemed to have done it and he had given Gino the most straight forward answers in the last few days.

"It's that...." The nurse began before the doctor interrupted her.

"The nurse thinks that you need to sleep, but I believe this should not wait until morning," He said, the nervousness gone from his voice and a stern look coming upon his face. This doctor, Gino had before, when he had first woken up. It wasn't really a face that he could connect with, but someone that he knew would try to weasel around rules just for him. "I'll get you a spare wheelchair so that we can take you."

Without another word, the doctor left the room in a quiet hurry, giving the nurse a fleeting look as he left. The nurse ignored it as best as she could, a nervous smile on her lips as she glanced down at him. Gino didn't look at her right away, his eyes moving from the doorway onto her face for a single moment. He had been woken up in the middle of the night before, for things that he wished nurses wouldn't even bother with until morning or when he wasn't trying to sleep. He wondered why they were in her room at such an hour and what they were talking about, as the nurse came around to one side of his bed and took his hand into hers.

"Gino, if you are too tired to do this tonight, we can always go in the morning," The nurse said affectionately. "Sometimes, doctors think that things have to be done as soon as possible, without other considerations."

"What is it? What is going on?" He asked, staring intently at her. This was one of the moments where he just wanted someone to come out and say what they meant to say and not go around, trying to cover up their tracks. He had that happen to him all week, now at his breaking point with anyone that tried to ignore his questions. "What does this have to do with me?

"You will be taken to see someone," The nurse said, taking in a deep breath. "I don't want you to be alarmed about what you are going to see, so be prepared for it."

"Are you taking me to see Marie? If so, I..." Gino started, just as the doctor returned to the room. He pushed a maroon, tattered-looking wheelchair to the side where the IV machine was plugged into the wall, the nurse standing up quickly. Neither one bothered to look at each, like they knew what they were doing and as though they did not want him to know what was really going on.

The doctor looked down at Gino, the nurse standing where she was as the doctor motioned for him to get into the wheelchair without assistance. Gino looked at the doctor with a raised eyebrow, not expecting at all the reaction on his face when he did not get up instantly. In the last week, so many people had offered to do things for him that Gino had almost expected the same hospitality to continue on with the doctor and nurse. He sighed, pushing himself out of the bed on the leg that was not in a cast, and slowly sat down onto the wheelchair. There were lines that hooked up to the IV machine that he had to get around, as he settled down into the uncomfortable thing.

"Where are you taking me?" He asked, as the doctor unplugged the IV monitor from the wall and the nurse walking behind him. Neither one answered as quick as he had hoped they would, the wheelchair backing up a few paces before it was turned around and lead towards the doorway of his room.

"The ICU of the hospital," The doctor said sharply as he pushed the IV monitor alongside the wheelchair, looking down at him for a brief moment. "You'll see when we get there. It will only take but about five minutes to get there, since you are on the same floor."

Gino closed his eyes for a moment, snorting as he was lead down the hallway and into a turn. Although he was glad that he was able to get out of his room for a few minutes, he wished he was back in the room already, sleeping even a disturbed and uneasy sleep. If this was to see someone that he did not know, the he knew the nurse was more then right. It could wait until morning when he felt more like visiting people, but since he was already awake, he felt like he might as well see who he was visiting. He did not know much of Marie, just from what little he had seen of the sisters during the Anniversary Ball and what those that visited him, told of her.

It didn't take them long to reach the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, where some of the most critical Gaians were. Many of the beds that were occupied, housed mainly those that had been hit directly with the tower. There were no other rooms available for them, so they had to spend their days with others that had been injured, some not as bad as the others. The nurse and doctor stopped just short of the ICU's nurse's station, the doctor looking down at Gino with a paralyzing look on his face.

"I think it is best that you first stay seated in the wheelchair, until the shock wears off," He said calmly. "After that, you can get up if you want to. There aren't any life-threatening injuries, surprisingly, so there is no real need to be cautious."

If there was any indication on who this stranger was that he was about to see, then neither the doctor nor the nurse implied at who it was as he was pushed into the ICU even further. The nurses behind the counter look up, then move their eyes back down to their work as he passed them, his puzzlement outgrowing his anger. There was something that nagged at him, something that told him he wasn't about to visit someone that he had never met before. His heart began to pound into his chest as the doctors pushed him into a small room that had it's curtains drawn and a little light in it.

The nurse and doctor stop moving, as they set Gino close enough to the bed for him to look at who was laying there, both looking at each other before they calmly walked out for the time being. Gino looked over his shoulder at them, seeing that they were staying close enough in case he needed to call them back inside, before he turned to the person that laid upon the bed. It took him several minutes to recognize who is laying there, and a gladness that he is sitting down, as any color that was on his face drained, his eyes going wide, and his body starting to tremble.

"Fa...father?" Gino stammered, seeing the form of Johnny K. Gambino laying there, propped up by the bed and pillows, and a blanket up to his waist. His eyes were closed, his body motionless, and looking as serene like he was not even breathing. There were monitors beeping vitals signs back out, a IV stuck in his arm, and other things that Gino did not know of.

Regardless of what was being poked inside of him, Gino jumped up quickly from the wheelchair and threw his arms over his father's chest, crying at the sight of this man laying there. It was as though a ton of bricks had suddenly lifted from his shoulders and he could finally know that he was back with his father, regardless of how much time he had left with him or if he even knew that his son was there. He didn't even feel a hand brush against his back or the eyes of the man open and look down at the boy that was sobbing upon his bare chest.

"Gino..." Johnny whispered, attempting his best to squeeze his arm around the boy's shoulder's. Gino's head snapped up just as quickly as he had jumped out of the wheelchair, a smile coming upon his lips as he looked at his father. There was a small smile on Johnny's lips, a look on his face that conveyed what no words could.

"You....you're alive...." Gino sobbed, giving his father's chest a squeeze. It was something he had missed out on when he first remembered his own father and was not going to let it pass him by again.

"Of course I'm alive," He coughed, as Gino pulled himself away from his father and sat back into the wheelchair slowly and quietly. "We Gambino's don't die easily."

"But....the shot. I saw it...." Gino said, sobs breaking his words apart. Johnny smiled gently at the boy, a few of his own tears rolling down his cheeks.

"The bullet only grazed my side, not where I had thought it had. It was just a shock that, well...." His voice trailed off, both knowing the events that had taken place a week before.

"But, I saw you fall. How could you survive it?" Gino protested, his voice becoming more composed as he wiped the tears from his face. Johnny laughed at the question, before he winced in pain and rubbed the spot where the bullet had hit him.

"Yes, that. That's where most of my injuries are from and the reason why I'm in the intensive care. You'd think that it would have killed me," He said with a sign, moving his uninjured arm towards his body. "I can't explain it, Gino. Maybe the gods and goddesses just didn't see fit with my death just yet."

Gino stared at his father for what seemed like forever, the shock of seeing him laying there, hooked up to monitors and as though there was nothing really wrong with him, finally wearing off. There was nothing on his body to indicate that there was anything seriously wrong or life-threatening with his body, nothing that warranted him to be in intensive care. Other then what he could see, which was a broken arm, both of his legs broken, the bullet wound that he could see patched up, bruises all over his body, and a bandage around his head with dried blood on it, there was nothing else that looked like it would be a long-term injury. Even though he knew that, being in the ICU was just a precaution, he could feel a certain degree of anger starting to rise inside of him.

"You do know that the tower collapsed, don't you?" Gino asked quietly. His father had to know it was gone, with all the rubble that was laying between the city and the island. Even with him being presumed dead for a week, it wasn't hard to miss.

"Yes, I know. I know it fell, but I don't know how far," Johnny said after a minute of silence.

"It fell all the way to Durem. There is still a lot of rubble on the island, along the coast line, and in the city." His voice was shaky, less composed then it had been a few moments before. "A lot of peopled died because of the tower, including Anna Von Helson. Her sister, Marie, is still alive, but barely."

If the news of the tower falling all the way to the city hadn't erased the once happy expression on his face, the news that one Von Helson sister was dead, did. Johnny looked away from Gino, turning his head away as he stared at the wall. The feud between the two families was a rift that had been beyond imagination and one that neither one seemed determined to back down from. Yet, in all the years that he cursed them, never once had he honestly wanted either dead. Not like this, not while it hurt other people in the process. There was something in his eyes that Gino doesn't see, something that he wouldn't ever know of.

"Say something," Gino said after a few moments of silence. "Say something that I know you honestly didn't mean for this to happen."

"Gino, I didn't," He said, turning his head back to his son. "I didn't think it would fall, or that I would get shot, or for any of this to happen. There is nothing that I can say that would make it better."

"I want to know the truth. I want to know why the tower was built." He leaned forwards, the determination that he had in his eyes earlier back in them. "Was it because of the sisters? Was it because that you felt threatened when they came back? Or was it truly because you wanted to get my memories back?"

"I...I..." Johnny stumbled on the words that he wanted to say, but nothing came out of his mouth. He is shocked to hear the doubt in his son's voice as he tried to put the words he wanted to say, into his son's mind. "If you want to know the truth, then there is really not much truth to it. It was because of the sisters, mostly."

"Mostly?" Gino raised an eyebrow at his father, wanting him to continue.

"I had originally thought that getting donations would help you get your memories back, but it didn't work like that. I hadn't expected that much donations in such a short amount of time that it took. The power...it felt go to feel it again." There was a brief pause, as Johnny breathed hard to get air back into his lungs so he could continue. "That's when everything went downhill. It was too much for me to handle, you without your memories, the sisters throwing me out of Durem, the gold pouring in like it was---I just snapped. Everything just came together."

"I want to know about my mother," Gino said in a firm voice, changing the subject quickly so that his father would become confused and start talking about something that he had refused to talk about before. "I want to know everything about her. I want to know why you haven't talked about her with me."

If he thought his father was in a state that he could become confused easily, he was more then wrong. Johnny's mouth opened and closed several times, no words coming from his lips. It was as though he couldn't speak the words that he wanted to or that he was refusing to tell Gino anything about his mother. Johnny looked like he had been shot again, this time by his own son. He knew this was not the time to be talking about his son's mother, not when there was other things that needed to be sorted out. He wanted to tell Gino everything, but not now.

"I should have told you about her when you were much younger, but I couldn't. I had blamed you for her death, because she died several days after you were born---it had been too much for her to handle. I didn't want anything to do with you for the first several weeks, but your cries were so pitiful and so sad," Johnny said in a small voice. "They were calling to your mother, just like my own were. I...I...truly held you for the first time, a month after you were born. It was then I knew you'd be just like your mother, in almost every way."

Their eyes came together, as though they were seeing each other for the first time in their lives. Gino saw everything come together in his father's face, everything that he had never noticed before until now. His father hadn't cared about him, not until Christmas he hadn't. He remembered the looks on his father's face then, when he looked down upon his son with flaming eyes. But those eyes were still caring about you, the voice of reason inside of him said. He still cared, whether it took sixteen years for it to finally show or if it took sixteen days.

Gino found himself torn between wanting to jump up, throw his arms around his father's neck, and cry on his shoulder or asked to be taken back to his room without even doing anything else. His father was not saying anything, his eyes looking down at his hands and face totally blank. He had never really been the father Gino had needed in his life to this moment and probably wouldn't be for the remainder of it. He had been happy not knowing anything about this man, even though he had seen how torn he had been when he found his son without memories of him. That was keeping Gino there, knowing that, for a few months at least, he had been the perfect father towards him. Maybe that was enough for him at the moment.

"I'm tired. I want to go back to my room, please," Gino said suddenly, glancing quickly over his shoulder. He didn't know if the nurse and doctor that had brought him to his father had listened to the entire conversation, and he found that he did not care if they had nor not. The nurse turned the wheelchair around and started to push him out of his father's room, the doctor pulling the IV machine behind him.

"Goodnight," Johnny said softly but loud enough for his son to hear. Gino ignored it as best as he could, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He said nothing, instead listening to the echo of his voice wander in his mind. That gave him some comfort to know that he could hear Johnny's voice once more before he went to bed, no matter how troubling his dreams would be.

At least his father was still alive and that was all that mattered.

**Until Next Time**


	8. Epilogue: So Long, Fare Ye Well

A Story For The Ages

**Part Three:** _Rebuilding_

**Written By:** _Armina Qi Saxton_

**Standard Disclaimer:** _See Prologue_

Epilogue: _So Long, Fare Ye Well_

A month had passed since Johnny Gambino was found, battered, bruised, and looked like he had survived another trip into hell and back again. The tower that he had built, had all but been erased from the minds of Gaians all across the land. The pieces of the tower that were able to be taken from Durem to the island, had been taken to Aekea and was now being used for furniture and other housing needs; what couldn't be taken from the ocean, or had sunk to the bottom, were left as reminders of what once had been.

Everything seemed to have gotten back to normal, as the shops, streets, and all areas that the path of the tower was in, had been cleaned and rebuilt to what they once had been. There were still imprints of the tower left along the Barton Coast and the Durem Reclamation Hub, still pieces of metal that were washing up along the shore, and memories that hadn't been erased, but it had gotten back to normal. At least, in a sense that all of Gaia could get back to it's normal, daily life. There were still those that had been affected by the tragedy that had happened only a month before, yet they went on as best as they could. Looking back, they could say they had survived one of the worst disasters in Gaia History, one that most certainly out-did Halloween of the year before.

Those that been in the hospital in the last month, going in for treatment of their injuries or finally being released from the hospital, were glad that it was all over and they no longer had to deal with being cooped in a room all day, every day. Gino Gambino had been released from the care of doctors in the same week that he had found out his father was still alive, returning most reluctantly to the mansion on Isle de Gambino. With his memories restored, he didn't know if there was anything underneath the island mansion or anything that would blow it up again. He had spent restless and sleepless nights dreaming and thinking about what might happen if he stayed inside the mansion.

He remained there, just as Johnny Gambino had remained in the hospital during the last few weeks of his stay. He had never really liked to be told to stay inside one room for long periods of time, not even when he needed the rest. His own injuries, sustained from being shot and falling down the monstrosity of a tower, had healed to a point where he could safely be released from the hospital. Edmund had come in the same time, for a quick lunchtime visit, that he was nearly pulling the IV out of his arm, a bewildered look on his face and doctors that were removing things off of Johnny's body, namely the casts that had been on his legs and arms.

He didn't ask any questions, nor expected any answers, when the doctors left and Johnny started to get dressed. He had done so quickly and quietly in the bathroom, muttering something about wanting Edmund to escort him down to the first floor. Edmund had to smile at the request and was more then willing to do that for a friend that still looked torn, tattered, and still not completely healed. At least he looked more healthier then he had been a month before, not as sickly pale as he had been and walking with less of a limp without the casts upon his legs. It's a miracle that he can still walk, Edmund thought to himself, as Johnny emerged from the bathroom, completely dressed with the exception of his once-tattered cape.

"You need to talk to your son. He has too many questions that I can't answer," Edmund said, leaning against one of the sides of the doorway. Johnny kept his back to him as soon as he had come around the bed to retrieve his cape, intent on straightening his vest instead of looking him in the eye. "I know he has been asking you questions in the last month about thins you've done that he's isn't aware of. Too many that can't be answered by anyone else then you."

He looked up from what he was doing, throwing the patched-up cape he had been found in, over his shoulders. If Gino was going to know anything about G-Corp, anything that was surrounding it, or anything about his father's own past, then Johnny would have to be six feet under when he found out. Or as far away as possible, since many things about it had never reached public ears or his own son's. He had always maintained G-Corp as something that was trying to make good differences happen, rather then the mishap that happened on Halloween. His own past was just as shady as that of G-Corp, something that he, Edmund, and his late wife knew the most about then anyone else. If Gino knew half of the things his father did, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Not at his age and after the last few events.

"I honestly don't have anything to tell him at the moment," Johnny said, turning around to face Edmund. "After all, he will get my share of G-Corp and my accounts when I am ready to give it to him or when I die. Whichever comes first."

"He can't wait around forever, which seems to be the amount of time you'll be living if you keep on the same path now." Edmund gave his friend a hard look as he pushed himself from the doorway. "Besides, he needs to know. It's best to learn from the source then from something else entirely."

"He doesn't need to know anything," He stated firmly, giving the other man a low glare. "When I am ready to tell him, he'll know."

"It's time you told him about his mother at least," Edmund said, ignoring the look upon Johnny's face as though it wasn't there. "It's been about seventeen years since she died, Johnny. Don't you think the pain should have been gone by now?"

There were a few moments where Johnny stared at Edmund with a fixed look on his face, just studying his face. There was nothing there, no outward expressions or sudden eye movements, that told him that Edmund was trying to get him the least bit angry. He had always been straight forwards with his friend as much as he could, without treading on unwanted emotions or going too far to invoke a heated argument. If he was trying to get Johnny to think rather then to become angry, then it was working just fine.

Johnny moved his gaze away, not saying anything right away. He was right, that the pain he felt for his late wife had dwindled over the years to a point that he was mourning nothing more then an old, washed up memory. There was still aping there, but not like it once had been during the first few years after she had died. Yet, the memory of her was the only thing he had left other then their own son, something that he had never really been willing to give up so easily. The question was, could he do it? Biting his lower lip, he looked at Edmund, who gave him a soft smile and a slightly wondering look.

"I know it has," Johnny said finally and as quietly as he could without Edmund straining to hear what he had to say. "There are times when I feel like she had died only hours before and days when I don't even remember her. I know I need to move on, feel what it is like to be in love again, and just be happy like I was before." He shook his head quickly, as if trying to forget something. "One day, I will. When all of this is put behind me."

Edmund's smile grew a little bit bigger. "My friend, that most likely won't happen for a while. Come on. Gino is waiting near the mansion for us."

Johnny nodded, looking around the room several times, a quick glance to see if anything was left behind that was his. When he was satisfied he had everything on him, he turned one last time around and headed out the doorway, not even bothering to look anywhere else for loose items of his. Edmund followed closely behind, keeping a short distance away but far enough so Johnny didn't feel like he was being cluttered by another person. They walked down the busy corridor in silence, making eye contact with as few people as possible. They didn't want to see the glares some were throwing them, or the smiles the rest held on their lips when they passed by. There were too many emotions that would flare up with one look and anything could happen on those same emotions. They played it safe and kept their gazes elsewhere until they knew that there wouldn't be anyone that would act upon sour memories.

There were a few nurses and doctors that Johnny said a low farewell to, partly because they had cared for him in some way during his stay. He couldn't exactly look each straight in the eye, rather glanced up and looked at their faces one last time before heading on. He had enough of being inside the hospital as it were and had desperately wanted to leave during the last month. That request had been refused so many times on so many different days and hours, that nurses knew what he was going to ask before he even opened his mouth to speak. And the answer had always been the same, that he needed to stay in the hospital because of the nearly-healed injuries he now had.

Now it was his turn to leave, as the two men took a left at one of the nurses station that was on the floor they were about to get off of, and made a direct beeline for the elevators on the other end of the corridor. There would be no time wasted on staying in the hospital, as they stopped at the two elevators and waited. There were several other Gaians waiting for one of the two elevators to come to this floor, one watching the floor number change as the elevator came up. The rest glanced in Edmund and Johnny's direction, giving both a weak smile before quickly moving their heads back forwards. Edmund frowned at the expressions on their faces, while Johnny ignored them completely.

It took only five minutes for an elevator to reach the floor they were on, at which point the doors opened and several Gaians wandered out from the now empty elevator. Those that had been waiting for one of the two to arrive, including Johnny and Edmund, entered the elevator, each pressing the floor button that they needed to go onto. The doors closed and the elevator moved downward, pausing only at the few levels in-between these two floors with a good portion of the Gaians leaving. Some mutter goodbyes to the two, as the elevator doors close, but otherwise remain silent and gazes down upon the floor.

Johnny hardly noticed that there were fewer people inside the elevator, as it made it's way down to it's last stop. His eyes were glazed over, his head straight ahead, and body still as though it was a statue; to those that did not know him, they would think something was wrong yet again. It was as though he had lapsed back into the realm of inanity and could snap again into what he had become during Easter. The few remaining Gaians in the elevator, ,save for Edmund, were already wary of him, so the blank look on his face was a sign of something they may not like.

In reality, he wandered into the quiet darkness of his thoughts, gathering what he had been told since he had been found, nearly dead and wishing he was so. Most of it haunted him to a point that he wished he could go back in time to fix things that had gone astray. Maybe not as far back as Halloween, but at least to Easter where he had felt the strings of insanity pulling him the most. If he had known that the tower would have caused so many other lives to be changed like they had, other then the ones it had been intended for, he would have never have had it built in the first place. He had been going insane then, so he figured that he hadn't know what he was really doing until it was too late.

Gino's life had taken another turn, in a direction that he had not foreseen. He had become distant, like his father had been since Gino had been born, hardly speaking when he had come to see his father lay there, unable to do most things himself. Johnny didn't know what was going through his son's mind, as he had stared at the boy so many times in the silence that had sat between them. He wanted to reach out to the boy that looked so ready to break down, often a hand upon Gino's was all that was needed for him to know that his father was there and not somewhere else that he couldn't be touched. But those times that he wanted to reach out, Gino would take a step back and be out of his reach.

So lost in thought, that Johnny hadn't realized the elevator had stopped and had opened until Edmund pulled him out by the arm. He blinked several times, shaking his arm out of his friend's grasp, and walked quickly towards the main exit of the hospital. There were numerous Gaian's lurking about in the lobby, some of which were laying down flowers upon other gifts near the main desk of the hospital, so that they would be taken to Marie's room. Some gave him a glare of pure hatred, while others reached out and gave him a light pat on the arm. He smiled back at those that grazed his arm, thankful at least that they did not want to act on any hard feelings they might have towards him.

Then a pang of dread hit him, as he and Edmund neared the sliding doors of the entrance. He did not want to face any reporters at the moment he left, not when he first got out of the hospital. That was the last thing he needed with everyone in Durem watching him sputter answers he wasn't about to give to the public. Whether there were camera crews and reporters waiting for him or not, Johnny kept his head held up high as the doors opened and stepped out into the fresh air. It felt good to step out into the sunlight, when he had only been able to see and feel it from inside a room. Now that he was outside, all pains that he felt vanished and a fog lifted from his mind.

Johnny glanced over at Edmund, who was walking towards the mansion that sat where the former Von Helson mansion once stood. He sighed, walking quickly to catch up to him as they made their way down one of the many side-streets of Durem. There were many Gaians walking along these streets, as they passed each other on the sides. There was a nervous feeling deep inside Johnny's stomach, one that told him he shouldn't be in the city, not after the promise he had made to the sister about never setting foot in Durem again. That had been during the Anniversary Ball, when Gino had been kidnapped by the sisters and held until Johnny made up his mind: either take his son and leave, or keep his revolution going. He had taken his son of course; there had been no doubt in his mind that they shouldn't be apart again.

Now that one of the sisters was dead and the other still recovering in the hospital, he didn't know what would happen as the two men turned sharply and headed straight for where the now second Gambino mansion stood. There were few Gaians standing around it, looking over the mansion and pointing to things upon it. Johnny smiled forcibly as these Gaians laughed and went back to their own business, leaving one person behind to stare up blankly up at it. Gino stood there, gazing up at the mansion without even turning around to the two that were coming towards him. His hands clasped behind his back, as Edmund moved to his right side and his father onto the left.

"What are you going to do with the mansion?" Gino said, blinking several times without even bothering to acknowledge the men that stood on either side of him. It was as though he knew that someone was there and that they were two familiar faces to him.

"Give it to Marie, if she wants it," Johnny said, glancing over at Gino before staring up at the mansion. "I don't know if she is going to stay in the city, or even Gaia. Maybe she'll go back to the life she had been living before she and Anna came back here."

"Maybe, she might," Edmund said with a quick nod. "She still has a ways to go before she can be let out of the hospital. Given her emotional state right now, I say she will most likely stay here. She has friends here, despite everything."

"Maybe," Gino said softly. Edmund gave both Johnny and Gino a quickly glance, then a look over to his shop that sat not far away from the mansion. His only reason for being there was to make sure Johnny had gotten out of the hospital without anyone doing something they might regret later and that reason was well over with.

"Well, I had better get back to my shop. I just wanted to get your father safely out of the hospital," He said, taking a step backwards. "Goodbye, for now."

Without waiting for either one to say goodbye to him in return, he turned around and started to head for his shop, leaving both father and son to stand together in silence. Johnny put an arm around his son's shoulders, pulling him closer to him as they stared up at the mansion in silence. He was glad to have his son back with him, complete in body and in memories. There was no denying that he felt as though nothing could stop him now, with his true family right beside him for all to see. He didn't care who whispered behind his back, so long as he kept his own family close to him for as long as he lived.

He didn't know if his son felt the same way, as Gino turned his attention from the mansion to his father. He watched him for several minutes, not understanding why this man had him so close to him without any reason to keep him this close to him. He was confused, not knowing what to think or even feel about this same man that had caused so much to happen in less then a year. How could he, with time flowing faster then he could blink? There were so many strings that were pulling him in so many different directions that he couldn't even make sense of it all until he was alone, away from the busy world around him.

"I know I have been dodging some subjects with you for a while now, and I should have told you so long ago," Johnny said, ignoring Gino's inquisitive stare. "I know I haven't been the best father to you for the last seventeen years, but I want to try to fix the mistakes I made in the past."

"Like the ones at Halloween and Easter?" He asked, frowning. He then pushed his father's arm off of him and took several steps back, so he wouldn't become entangled in anything else that came his way. "Those mistakes can't be erased, you know. I may not remember all the details, but I still remember the things that happened. I remember the things that were said and everything else. That hurt the most."

Johnny, with his mouth opened and eyes slightly wide, turned and faced Gino completely. "If you would let me explain the reasons why I...."

"You don't need to explain anything," Gino said, holding up a hand to stop him from speaking further. "I know that being all powerful, with G-Corp and the Gaian Council, was more important then your own son. That was one mistake you should have corrected long before Christmas came. I don't know where the father went that cared about me before Easter, but I don't see him standing before me." He shook his head. "I don't know why I don't see him, maybe because I have my memories back and know better or because of something else entirely. I can't tell you where he went either, since I don't know myself."

"Don't you think I wanted to be there with you as you grew up?" Johnny's voice had grown louder, enough to make several passing Gaian's look in his direction. "I wanted to do the things that other fathers did with their sons, but I couldn't. Work was something I couldn't avoid, not with G-Corp as it was. You are so much like your mother in appearances, that it hurt me just to watch you grow up. I missed her so much, and I still do today."

"As I said before, work was more important then your own flesh and blood. Pain fades with time, father, and I should have shared that pain with you," Gino snapped with narrowed eyes. "I never knew anything about my mother, and still don't, and I blame you for that. I blame a lot more on you then I should be, with everything that you have done." He turned his body towards the entrance to the city, as though he was about to walk off. "I don't know if you wanted to be with me when I was growing up, nor do I care. It's too late to fix the mistakes that you made when I was younger. I needed you so many times in my life, but you were never there. I wish you had been."

Two tears ran down his cheeks, his face set on not fully breaking down and crying where he was. That was the last thing he needed his father to see, when he walked out for good. That was what he had wanted to do in the last month, to walk away from everything and not look back behind him. His life in Gaia was over with and a new one was ready to start somewhere else, far away from those that knew him. There was too much that he wanted to get away from, too much that reminded him of the things that he had lost and the things that he never knew existed. The wall between him leaving and him staying had fallen and there was a clean path for him to leave and never return.

Gino took in a deep breath and started to walk away without even looking back, but his right arm was grabbed before he could get any further. There was that single moment in time where he wanted to stand there and not do anything, just to feel his father's flesh upon his, to know that everything was alright. But nothing was alright, as he yanked his arm out of his father's grasp and a cold glare was sent up to him. There was the same anger in Johnny's eyes that Gino had seen so many times before in his life and had been afraid of what his father would do to him. He had never raised a hand to him, never once hit him across the face or on the backside, but rather used his size and voice to get his point across. Those times were gone.

"Don't you walk away from me," Johnny hissed, his voice louder then it had been before. "I am not done talking with you quite yet."

"Well, I'm done talking with you," Gino growled back. "You've missed all the chances to make up for the things that you couldn't be there for me in my life. It's time that you paid for that."

"And during the time you had no memories? What about that?" Johnny asked, his voice loosing it's edge to it. Perhaps it was because someone was actually standing up to him or it was because there were people watching father and son fight. Whatever it was, the tone of his voice was shattered and a softer voice came into place.

"That isn't enough to cover everything that you have done to me," He said, shaking his head. "I wish it was, but it isn't."

"I wish it was too, but it is a step towards what I should have done a long time ago," Johnny said, taking a step forwards. "Gino, I want to be that father you've always wanted. Give me that chance to make it up to you."

"I want that as well, but it's too late," Gino said, looking up at his father with a trace of sadness on his face. "I've come to realize that maybe it's just an outward appearance you want to keep so that the public doesn't start wondering what goes on in our home anymore. I don't want it to become what it has been for the last few years."

Father and son stared at each for what seemed like an eternity, neither one moving towards or from each other. There was nothing else Gino wanted to say to his father he had already said to him in the last month., keeping is own promises that he would stay away for as long as he could. It would be a self-imposed exile to those that did not know what had actually gone on between the two, one he hoped his father could see as a way to change once and for all. If his disappearance between Halloween and Christmas could change one man just slightly, then maybe it would change the same man once again.

Gino didn't bother with a spoken farewell, but instead gave Johnny a small smile and a nod before turning around and walking to the entrance of the city. He wouldn't be stopped this time, not when he was so intent on leaving behind the memories that he now did not wish to remember. Gaians stepped out of his way, looks of bewilderment on their faces to see one Gambino leaving and one staying behind without protest. They didn't know what had been said or done between them that would make the younger one leave and they looked towards the only other person who was so unwilling to answer them.

Johnny stood where he was, ,watching his son walk out of the city and quite possibly from Gaia. He didn't know why he wasn't about to go running after Gino right then and there, to stop him from making a mistake that he would later regret. He just let the boy go, to let his anger subside and let his mind clear from everything that had happened. Some would later claim this was a mistake on Johnny's part, that he didn't attempt to bring his son back to him when he had the chance to. He found that, by going after Gino, the rift between them would become even bigger then it was now.

There was no doubt in his mind that his son would return to him, once he had calmed his mind and body to a point that he would return, ready to begin his life over once again. He cared about his son to let him leave, to let him have the space that he needed rather then force him to stay near his father like he had when there were no memories to be shared. That was why Johnny stood there without moving, just watching the entrance as Gaians came and went without even knowing why he was standing there in the first place. They just walked by him, many smiling up at him and muttering things to him. He hadn't heard a word that anyone had said to him, not even paying attention to the world that was passing him by.

So he stood there for the longest time, not doing anything but waiting.

****

By the time Johnny had finally left Durem, Gino was long gone from anywhere near the known regions of Gaia. He had spent many hours going over hills and meadows, past townships he did not know even existed, and past people who waved and said hello to him. He smiled and waved back, hoping that these strangers did not know who he was or why he was walking along the forgotten paths that many had came across so long ago. If they did, then he would be many miles away before those that did know him came to see if he was still there. There was no reason for him to stay in the familiar surroundings he knew since he was younger, not when there was so much that he could explore.

That was why Gino stood at what was the unmarked boundary between Gaia and another unknown land, a 'borrowed' cloak and hood hanging on his shoulders and head as he stood there unmoving. He had spent two full days walking from the city of Durem to where he now stood, the sun moving down into the horizon behind him. There was a cloth sack filled with food in his left hand and a wooden staff in the other, something he had been given to by a farming family he had been passed while wandering away from a life he couldn't outrun. Home-cooked food sat in his stomach, a content feeling weighing on his heart, and a distant look on his face, as he stared into the unknown lands that was just sitting there, waiting.

He wasn't running away from his life in Gaia, none the least. He would be back to see what it would become in later years, when his point had gotten across to his father. Gino couldn't help but feel a certain stab of regret that he hadn't at least dragged his father with him when he had walked across places he never knew existed, then left him at this boundary while he continued on. Gino blinked back the tears that threatened to overflow, as he turned around and looked back at the path he had taken. It was so far away from home, that he wanted to run back and hide in Johnny's arms, to know that he there and would always be. But he couldn't, not when he felt as though that illusion would only hide the truth for a short amount of time.

Gino didn't hate his father, far from it. He felt more anger towards Johnny because of the simple fact that he had never been the father he wanted then for anything else he had done. That was why he left, not because of the Halloween event of the year before or of the Easter and April Fools ones, but because of the torment he had suffered. It was never physical, that much he could say to people who asked, and there had been times that he had a father to run to. Those times had been few and far between and had never amounted to anything. The months between Christmas and the Anniversary Ball, although still not as vivid as his memories of the times before, had made up for some of the things he had been told and the emotional abuse he had gone through.

Maybe one day, his father would become what he had always wanted, as Gino turned towards the hidden border and stepped over it lightly. His journey into the unknown now began and would never end until he was home, safely in loving arms.

**End Part Three**


End file.
